Saskatchewan communities rally around Winnipeg music students after bus crash | 24CA News
It was a scary 24 hours for over 136 college students and workers from Winnipeg this week, as a bus collision with a semi-trailer left them stranded.
Maples Collegiate from Winnipeg had been a part of a music pageant in Edmonton, earlier than making an attempt to make the journey residence.
“We had three buses leave Edmonton around 8 a.m. Wednesday, and I get a call last night around 8 p.m. that one of our buses was in an accident,” Scott Shier, the principal of Maples Collegiate stated.
The bus had collided with a semi on Highway 1 east of Sintiluta, Sask. The crash left the bus driver with critical, however non-life-threatening accidents. Shier nonetheless, stated no college students had been damage within the accident.
The bus driver was taken to hospital with accidents after the accident.
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“We had a few students with bleeding noses, but that was the extent of that,” he defined.
The three buses had left Edmonton when street situations weren’t too dangerous, however that night nonetheless, issues modified dramatically as wind and snow induced havoc on Saskatchewan highways.
On Wednesday evening between 7:30 p.m. and eight:30 p.m., Saskatchewan RCMP stated they responded to greater than 50 calls asking for help associated to street situations, together with the accident involving the music college students bus.
At the time of the crash, Shier stated one bus was already 20 minutes forward of the opposite two buses, and fairly than risking turning round, continued down the freeway to Wolseley, Sask.
The different bus, arrived on the scene and picked up the opposite college students and workers earlier than making their method to Indian Head, Sask. for the evening.
It was then Shier and his coworkers started engaged on a plan for what to do with the scholars.
“I got ahold of emergency services in Indian Head, and they rolled out the welcome mat for our 88 students and staff,” Shier defined. “Our vice principal got ahold of the mayor of Wolseley, they were in a council meeting at the time… and they opened the school for our other group of students.”
And with street situations nonetheless poor in Saskatchewan, the workers and college students stay within the two communities.
In Indian Head, the scholars slept on the city corridor, whereas these in Wolseley slept on the neighborhood faculty.
“Everyone got mats and air mattresses and blankets and before you know it the community was settled in for the night,” Connie Baumgartner stated, the principal at Dr. Isman elementary faculty in Wolseley. “We went and got stuff from the high school as well so everyone had something soft to sleep on.”
Students got scorching meals all through Thursday because of neighborhood members pitching in.
Courtesy of Connie Baumgartner
When the scholars wakened Thursday morning, the meals for the day had already been taken care of. The native bakery placed on a breakfast for the scholars, as shuttles took them to and from the varsity to the store.
“These kids have just been through a lot and we gave them a safe place for the evening,” Baumgartner stated. “Just trying to make them feel welcome and at home.”
But the nice deeds didn’t solely come from Saskatchewan.
As a thanks for internet hosting the Maple collegiate college students, the music college students went to totally different school rooms and helped with writing homework and storytelling assignments on the Wolseley faculty.
And later within the day, they placed on a band and choir efficiency for your entire faculty.
“When you see someone in need, you help them and we were just making light of a heavy situation,” Baumgartner stated.
The band and choir college students from Maples Collegiate carried out for college students in Wolseley as a thanks for internet hosting them.
Courtesy of Connie Baumgartner
Students from Maples Collegiate helped educate writing to college students at Dr. Isman Elementary School throughout their keep.
Courtesy of Connie Baumgartner
Those in Indian Head had an analogous scenario, as firefighters introduced in mats and blankets to the city corridor for college students and workers to make use of.
“It worked out good that we could put the students downstairs, and then upstairs we had chairs and tables set up so they could eat,” stated Indian Head mayor Steven Cole.
He stated individuals from throughout have been asking how they may assist, and Thursday nights supper is being made by native companies for the scholars to take pleasure in.
“This is why I am proud to call Indian Head my home,” Cole stated.
Shier stated the plan is to remain in Saskatchewan one other evening, and when RCMP say the roads are all clear, the scholars will proceed on their manner again residence.
Until then nonetheless, they’re making some new pals in Saskatchewan.
“It makes me emotional just thinking about what they did for our kids,” Shier stated in regards to the two Saskatchewan cities. “We are overwhelmed with the hospitality.”
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