HMCS Fredericton supports Women in Transition House
By AB Harveer Gill,
HMCS Fredericton
On Friday, June 8, 19 personnel from HMCS Fredericton’s ship’s company made the trek from Halifax to Fredericton with donated clothing, toys, books and softball equipment in tow. Their destination was the Women in Transition House – a local shelter that provides a secure home for women and children fleeing abuse.
Established in 1980 as the first of its kind in New Brunswick, the House is a safe and confidential shelter with the ability to provide accommodations for up to 19 women and their children. The organization provides refuge, comfort, lodgings, and advocacy to victims of physical, emotional, sexual, economic and/or social abuse. Fredericton has been ship’s sponsor of the Women in Transition House since the commissioning of the ship in 1994.
Over the course of the weekend, Fredericton’s personnel provided a helping hand – and mitt – as they participated in the 6th Annual Women in Transition House Softball Tournament and completed tasks to increase quality of life within the Transition House itself.
The Softball Tournament involved 11 local teams from the Fredericton area, with a wide range of participants from industry and local businesses. LS Conor Murphy took the mound, pitching a fair but friendly game, while CPO2 Dave Kennedy was easily found (and heard) behind the plate as the umpire, later presenting the award to the winning team, the Nashwaak Roofers.
“At the end of the day, it’s the Women in Transition House that win here, and it’s been an honour to take part,” CPO2 Kennedy said as he handed the cup off.
Members of the ship also undertook tasks to directly support the Transition House including landscaping, donation sorting, and cleaning inside and out. The team went above and beyond expectations, planting trees on the property and starting a new garden.
Fredericton is planning another visit to the Women in Transition House during the annual Sailors for Wishes event (formerly known as Bike For Wishes), a fundraising initiative which takes cyclists from the ship across the province of New Brunswick in order to raise money for the Children’s Wish Foundation. This year, Fredericton personnel have dedicated themselves to raising the bar in community involvement by planning additional visits to the Women in Transition House, collecting donations year-round, and organizing further events in Fredericton’s namesake city — a trend that the Ship’s Company hopes is continued in the future.
