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Community comes together to help single mother
There are no greater joys in Natalie Marson’s life than her son Evan, and Scout, their German Shepard. “Scout and Evan grew up together,” she says, “Scout is 9 years old and getting older, while Evan is only 10 years old getting more and more active!” With an aging dog and a growing boy, Natalie tries to keep up with them as a single parent.
“Children teach us patience everyday,” says Natalie with a huge smile as she pulls out a school picture of Evan.
Preparing to go back to full time work at a BC Liquor Store in Vancouver, Natalie does her best to maintain a strict schedule even though she often has shift work. Evan has Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly known as ADHD, and was recently diagnosed with a learning disorder that affects his motor skills and makes it difficult for him to write or to have a big vocabulary. So, it’s important that she is home at certain times to ensure relative normalcy.
“We’ve already built up a community” Natalie said when asked if she would ever consider moving closer to her workplace in Vancouver. They have been living in a basement by Burnaby Mountain for about 8 years. “It’s great there, the people upstairs are a big help! They help me out in so many ways, and they even drive Evan to school,” she says. Everybody watches for the safety of each other, and work together to foster a sense of community. “I’ve been to the Boys & Girls Club, and they’re a big help for single mothers”.
Natalie and Evan have been to Burnaby Community Connections before. “For the last four years, Evan has been to Camp Howdy for a whole week!” says Natalie enthusiastically as she talks about the Burnaby Camping Bureau. Through the Recreation Credits Program, she was also able to enroll him in day camps during the summer. He had a great time and looks forward to going back every year.
Christmas has always been difficult, but she always managed to make it happen. However, it has always been hard for her to make ends meet. “I didn’t have enough money for a turkey last year,” she says with blatant honesty. “This Christmas, I didn’t want to tell Evan again that there is not going to be a turkey.”
This is the first year that she has registered for the Burnaby Christmas Bureau after hearing about it when she came in for the Burnaby Camping Bureau. She wanted to make sure that this year, Evan would get something underneath the Christmas tree and that she would not have to further juggle her bills, which already include gas to drive to work, dog food, and rent.
The Burnaby Christmas Bureau needs your support to help families like Natalie and Evan. Please bring your cash or toy donation to our office at Holdom Ave (Corner with Lougheed, next to the skytrain station), or directly to the Toyroom (250 Willingdon Ave, back of the building, from 11am to 1pm). For more information on the Burnaby Christmas Bureau or on how to give, please call 604-299-5778 ext 21 or visit
www.burnabycommunityconnections.com.
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