Wingham Prepares to Welcome Family of Six from Syria

By Kate Stockmann

February 29, 2016 - 4:24pm

A family of six from Syria will soon be calling Wingham home.

The Wingham and District Refugee Sponsorship announced on Sunday at a meeting of its 40 members that it is bringing the family over through a private sponsorship. While it will cost more, they were able to find a family willing to locate in small town. The group has committed $32,000 to support the family and already has $23,000 in cash and pledges.

Chair of the group, Greg Sherwood says all they can say right now is the family is made of six people including three teenagers and a 10-year-old.

"We can't give out names or release pictures at this point because they still are, for the most part, they are in Syria," he says, "One of the family members is outside of Syria at the moment but technically they are still in a very dangerous situation."

The immediate priority is to find a three or four bedroom home. The family will not be arriving for a few weeks, but will be looking to rent a minimum of twelve months.

"With our budgeting we are looking to rent something," he says. "It might be a house that's currently for sale and it's empty and the owner might be willing to...rent to us for a year."

The Sponsorship Group's next meeting is Sunday, March 20th at St Paul’s Trinity Anglican Church in Wingham at 2pm. Anyone looking to help is asked to visit the group's Facebook Page: "Wingham Welcomes New Canadians." More fundraising activities will be announced in the coming weeks.

Members of the Wingham and District Refugee Sponsorship Group met Sunday, February 28th to make plans for the Syrian family of six they will welcome to Wingham in the coming months.
(photo by Barb Hall)