One of Regina’s oldest neighbourhoods provides warmth to those in need by “scarf-bombing” the area.
The Warm Up Heritage initiative is in its second year. The Heritage Community Association (HCA) challenges people to leave new or gently used scarves, toques, mitts, blankets and other warm winter gear with an “I’m not lost!” tag.
The purpose is to help people who need warm items during the chilly weather in the city. The scarf event started with a breakfast and finished with a prayer and some Indigenous drumming. The HCA director said they put out more than 1,000 items out on Tuesday morning and were all gone within minutes.
“With winter coming in early this year, we literally depleted a lot of resources — not just us, but Carmichael friendship the Trinity Lutheran Church,” said Wendy Miller. “Everybody is trying their best. But I think we’re realizing that we really need the people above us to step up and help out. We can’t carry this burden.”
Miller said it was just another day at Heritage. The neighbourhood covers areas from Saskatchewan Drive down Broad Street to College Avenue and Victoria Avenue to Arcola. According to the HCA website, the community became associated with high levels of poverty, crime and unemployment, where businesses were strained and houses deteriorated.
“Many Heritage residents still struggle with the impacts of poverty, and our community still ranks as one of the most disadvantaged in the city,” stated the HCA website.
Through the HCA, residents rally for support and take part in community initiatives such as the “scarf bombing” to help those who need winter items, especially days after a local tent encampment housing people without homes burned down.
“We hope they got on a warming bus. We hope they found shelter,” she said. “But I think that speaks volumes of the desperation and the crisis that the city of Regina is in.”
The HCA continues to accept warm winter items that are new or gently used to give away to those in need.
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