Having a roof under our heads and a warm place to turn in for the night is something many of us often take for granted. But for the survivors of the cataclysmic earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti on the 12^th of January, it’s a luxury they don’t have.

Finding a solution to that problem is the Salvation Army in Barrie. The group is working to fix that problem by lending their support to the national initiative called, “Tents for Haiti”.

Like those scattered across Canada, Barrie’s two thrift stores are presently accepting donations which will be used to purchase tents for the survivors in Haiti. According to Major Roy Randell, the head of Salvation Army’s Bayside Mission Center, he and his team of volunteers will do everything they can to make sure Haiti gets the help it needs.

Although they’ve already collected and sent $9,000 to their head office, Randell admits the amount is trivial, consider the number of Haitians living on the street with nothing to live on except government rations. This has encouraged him to try and raise more funds to help.

Aside from sending tents to Haiti, the Barrie Salvation Army is also gearing to raise funds for local causes. Each summer, the organization pools their resources to send some 50 kids to summer camp.

Every great city around the world has a great neighborhood or two, and officials from the City of Barrie are making a move to have one of their own through a new initiative that will determine the future of the city’s neighborhoods that are rich in history.

But they can’t do it alone, that’s why they’re inviting residents to join discussions on the future of Barrie’s residential districts. Ward 2 Councilor Jeff Lehman will be holding a historic neighborhood strategy (HSN) meetings and everyone from the community is invited.

The first of the two meetings will be held tonight at 6:30 in the evening at the Southshore Community Center, while the 2^nd one will be held at the MacLaren Art Centre on the 20^th of February, Saturday, at 1 in the afternoon.

According to Councilor Lehman, the goal of HNS is simple, and that’s to involve people in planning for the community. The idea behind HNS is to have residents share their thoughts and ideas and help officials plan for the future of their respective neighborhoods – in short, the decision making power is with the residents, Lehman added.

For details and information about the historic neighborhood strategy, logon to hns.barrie.ca.

As a way of celebrating 60 years of camaraderie and service, the Barrie Kinsmen Club will be hosting a dinner-dance on the 20^th of February. But it’s not all fun and games though, as the organization, like always, will be raising funds during the event for a number of children’s programs in the City of Barrie.

The 20^th of February this year also marks the 90th anniversary of the return of Hal Rogers, a World War I veteran, to Hamilton. It was then that he started up a group to recreate the fellowship he shared with the servicemen on his brigade. He established a club with the goal of helping the community with their needs, this after he was turned down by the local Rotary Club due to a technicality.

According to the Barrie Kinsmen Club’s former president John Donley, Rogers wanted to create something that was more than a mere service club, he wanted the group’s members to treat each other like family, coming together to work for a good cause.

In the City of Barrie, the Kinsmen Club has donated funds to a number of programs and fundraisers, like the Barrie Food Bank and Salvation Army, the Barrie Minor Hockey Assocciation, as well as student bursaries.

When it comes to being ready to help the public, Barrie’s firefighters are right up there with the world’s best and finest.

After two men accidentally crashed their car through the ice on Little Big Lake on Friday night, firefighters from the City of Barrie got there in a flash and were able to retrieve the two men from the frigid waters.

But Barrie’s firefighters weren’t alone; they also got much needed help from firemen from the Springwater Township. Both teams were called at around 6 in the evening on Friday and were requested to head to Little Big Lake, situated on the northern boundary of Barrie.

When the Barrie fire department’s rescue boat arrived on the scene, both males, who were reported to be teenagers, had already gotten out of their vehicle and were treading water.

According to Fire Chief Tony Van Dam of the Springwater Township, the two teenagers couldn’t make it to shore because of the cold. All they could do was tread water and hoped for a miracle.

Luckily, none of them suffered any significant injuries.

Paramedics from Barrie arrived near the area and treated the two teens. They were then released later. Unfortunately, their vehicle is still submerged in the water.