The St. John Ambulance is calling on Prince George residents to open their homes for 30 volunteers who still need a place to stay during the Canada Winter Games.
“We’re looking for the community involvement in welcoming our professional volunteers,” said Catherine Trudeau, who is manager of community services for the non-profit group.
The group has been trying to set up accommodations since September, but with the hotels booked and partner organizations flooded with similar requests for billets, its members still need accommodation.
“I’m concerned,” said Trudeau, given the games open a month from today. “Anybody who can help would be extremely valuable to us.”
The volunteers come from all over the province and even some from Alberta, she said, with anywhere from 18 to 28 volunteers from the region.
All are certified medical first responders whose stay varies person to person, so Trudeau is ideally looking for people who can open their doors for the duration of the event.
“That means a bed to sleep in and a meal is always appreciated,” Trudeau said. “Our members are up at the crack of dawn, because we have to be at the venues before the athletes.”
Alyson Gourley-Cramer, manager of communications and community relations for the Canada Games, said it has the Home Stay program to supplement the hotel rooms, now full and booked far in advance of the games.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to our Home Stay program,” said Gourley-Cramer, adding there are more than 700 homes in the database, including both rental and billet options.
Trudeay said as a non-profit the organization can't afford the rental option, which can be as much as $2,500 a week.
Although Canada Games mandate is only to find accommodation for participants, which doesn't include out-of-town volunteers, Gourley-Cramer said they are working with organizations to find a place for everybody.
In the last week she said the games found 10 billets for the St. John Ambulance volunteers.
“That is not the final number. We’re working with them to try and place them all in billeted homes,” Gourley-Cramer said. “There are more coming.”
Trudeau said the Canada Winter Games have been helping but with a month to go “nothing has been guaranteed” and so she’s turning to the city’s residents in hopes community spirit can help the last homeless volunteers.
Trudeau asks that anyone interested in helping to email [email protected]. Trudeau said they would prefer the homes be in town or 15 minutes outside at the most.
