Latest news with #Maureen
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Some Sask. evacuees forced to find far-flung rooms on their own as wildfires put pressure on hotels
Maureen and Greg McBratney didn't have many options for places to stay when wildfire forced them to leave their home in Denare Beach, Sask., late last week. Maureen, 65, has kidney failure and usually receives dialysis three times a week across the border in Flin Flon, Man., but that city has also been evacuated due to an out-of-control fire very close to the community. A dialysis co-ordinator told Maureen to go to Yorkton to continue her treatment, but the retired couple is on a fixed income and struggled to find an affordable hotel. "We're staying at a hotel right now because we don't know anyone in Yorkton," Greg said. "We've tried to contact Red Cross and our house insurance [to pay for a hotel]." They're worried about where they'll go next. "We have nowhere to go after Friday. We're getting kicked out of the hotel because they're fully booked," Greg said. The couple doesn't expect to go home any time soon. Maureen cries when she thinks about the financial and emotional strain. "If you know anyone in Yorkton who wants to put up with a couple of old people for awhile, let us know." The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) and other organizations are searching far and wide to identify any hotel space that could accept evacuees, SPSA vice-president of operations Steve Roberts said. "Anywhere from Prince Albert to Weyburn and from North Battleford to Hudson Bay," Roberts said during the SPSA daily wildfire update. "Basically, we're canvassing every community in Saskatchewan for their capacity and as evacuees come out, they will be directed to areas where they can be housed until they can return home." On Monday, a group of evacuees from Denare Beach and Creighton who ended up in Saskatoon held a protest in the city, demanding more resources to fight fires and help evacuees. They hoped to get the attention of Prime Minister Mark Carney and the premiers while they're in Saskatoon for the first ministers' meeting. There were about 8,000 evacuees from Saskatchewan communities as of Monday afternoon, according to the SPSA. Where evacuees end up depends on where they come from. The SPSA manages some, as does the Canadian Red Cross, while some First Nations also manage accommodations for evacuees from their communities. Added pressure comes when evacuee stays push into reservations made by sports teams or other large groups, leaving hotels a choice between kicking out evacuees or reneging on reservations. It's up to hotel management to decide who gets bumped, according to tourism trade group Hospitality Saskatchewan. "In both cases, you're dealing with folks that are displaced for whatever reason, whether it's an evacuation or a family that's traveled 100 miles to get to a ball tournament and they don't have a place to stay," said Jim Bence, Hospitality Saskatchewan president and CEO. "It's a real ethical dilemma in many cases. And it's one that, whether you're a front desk agent or a hotel manager, it's a struggle to make those decisions." WATCH | Finding accommodations yet another hurdle for wildfire evacuees: Bence said the province should create a central reservation system to manage hotel inventory during emergency situations. "The technology already exists," Bence said. "It's just how could we adapt it or enhance it so that governments or the Red Cross would be able to at a moment's notice be able to see, OK, I've got 10 rooms available in Warman. I've got 30 rooms available in Saskatoon.… If we could access everybody's inventory in real time, then you could make those decisions."
Dublin Live
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Dublin Live
Louis Walsh's mother Maureen dies following long battle with Alzheimer's Disease
Tributes have been paid to the mother of music manager Louis Walsh who died aged 94 on Sunday. Maureen Walsh, of Kiltimagh, Co Mayo, has been described as a "gracious, kind and generous lady". The mother-of-nine was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease over a decade ago and was in the c are of St Attracta's Nursing Home, Charlestown. She will repose at her home in Church Street, Kiltimagh on Wednesday from 4pm to 8pm. Her funeral mass will take place at the Church of the Holy Family, Kiltimagh at noon on Thursday followed by burial at Kilkinure Cemetery. A notice on reads: "Predeceased by her husband Frank, her daughter Catherine, her parents Martin and Delia, her brother Sean and her son-in-law Pat O'Connor. "Cherished mother of Evelyn (O'Connor), Louis, Paul, Frank, Eamon, Padraic, Joseph, Noel and Sara (Keogh)." Former Boyzone manager Louis previously spoke about his close relationship with his mother. Maureen often flew to London and Miami to visit her son, and appeared on The X Factor when he was a judge in 2007. In 2015, he heartbreakingly opened up about her dementia diagnosis. He told Woman Magazine: "My mum has got Alzheimer's now. She doesn't know me. But she's fine, healthy and happy and doesn't know any better." Condolences have flooded in for the Mayo woman following the announcement of her death. One person wrote: "Deepest sympathy to all Maureen's family and friends. What a wonderful lady always with a smile. May she now enjoy the peace of Heaven with her beloved Frank." While another said: "Deepest sympathy to all the Walsh family, and also to the Healy and O'Hora families on the death of Maureen. Fond memories of a gracious, kind and generous lady. Rest in peace Maureen." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Knitting circles helping to warm up cold children
In 2000, Taupo knitter Liz Clarke started Operation Cover Up in response to news reports of children in an Eastern European orphanage suffering in wintertime because of poor quality bedding and the lack of suitable cold weather clothes. She used local media to ask knitters to knit blankets, hoping to donate one blanket per child living in that Moldavian orphanage. The following year, Kaiapoi resident Maureen Braun took up the challenge and called on her friends and associates in the knitting circles she was involved with, to do what they could to help Liz and Operation Cover Up. Now 25 years later Maureen says it has been a wonderful experience being involved with this nation-wide project. ''In the quarter of a century Operation Cover Up has been in existence, they have shipped over 165,000 blankets and half a million knitted garments to the poor and needy in Eastern Europe. That's a wonderful undertaking and one I am proud to have been part of,'' she says. Maureen started sending Operation Cover Up four wool bales full of knitted blankets and clothes from North Canterbury, which joined the others from throughout the country shipped from New Zealand to Europe under the banner of Mission Without Borders, an international Christian organisation delivering humanitarian aid to marginalised communities in Eastern Europe. Now Maureen says around 36 bales of knitted products are shipped annually from the upper South Island to join the bales supplied by the rest of the country. She says the focus has shifted to helping those in war torn Ukraine, but the knitters still support poor families in five other eastern European countries, as most of the children's homes / orphanages have closed. Today, over 90 co-ordinators living all over the country work with small groups of knitters in towns and cities producing blankets, hats, clothes and toys for children in need. Maureen says it is amazing the response she has received from knitting groups here. ''They can be as small as a couple of friends to big community groups - all are keen to help. It just seemed to happen organically through word of mouth and media articles.'' She and fellow member, Anne Murchison, say they have met many wonderful people over the years and are now working towards their June collection date, when they start bailing up all the knitted products in wool bales to be shipped to Europe in July. Anne has been involved for three years and says she has been encouraged by the generosity of people in the North Canterbury communities. ''One of the knitting groups started is at the Kaiapoi Library on Friday afternoons, from 1pm to 3pm. We would welcome anyone interested in coming along. It's a very social group and we have a lot of fun as we knit,' she says. Another is a group of only 20 knitters from the Kaiapoi Cooperating Parish, who have ''lovingly crafted 93 blankets and more than 150 jerseys'', plus dozens of other knitted articles in the past year. ''Being part of a group of knitters is great for social interaction, it gets people out of their houses and improves mental health,'' says Anne. For more information about Operation Cover Up contact Maureen on 021 036 5420.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Louis Walsh's mum passes away after lengthy illness amid Alzheimer's battle as tributes paid & funeral details announced
TRIBUTES poured in tonight after the death of pop mogul Louis Walsh's mother Maureen. Maureen, nee Healy, who lived in Kiltimagh, Co 2 Louis told Woman Magazine in 2015 that his mum 'doesn't know' him but she was 'fine' Credit: Getty Images - Getty She passed away following a lengthy illness. Over many decades she treated visitors to her cosy home at Church Street to lashings of hot tea, cakes, buns and other confectionary. The mother-of-nine had been battling Alzheimer's for the past decade, with She was remembered locally as the 'warmhearted matriarch' of a large and close-knit family. Read more in News 'Maureen was a true lady', recalled one of many who paid tribute to her following the announcement of her death on the website. Apart from Louis, Maureen, who was predeceased by her husband, Frank, is also survived by daughters Evelyn (O'Connor), and Sara (Keogh), sons, Paul, Frank, Eamon, Padraic, Joseph and Noel and their extended family members. She is also survived by 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Her remains will repose in the family home on Wedmnesday evening from 4pm to 8pm. Most read in Irish News Removal on Thursday morning to the nearby Church of the Holy Family for funeral Mass at 12 noon followed by burial in Kilkinure Cemetery. In a recent interview Louis, her second child, recalled that his mum, hopeful that one of her children would go into the priesthood, enrolled him as boarder sent in St Nathy's College, Ballaghaderreen in the 1960s. However, disliking the strict regime, he left Nathy's early moving to another secondary school before going to 2 Maureen, nee Healy, who lived in Kiltimagh, Co Mayo, was 94 Credit:
Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Louis Walsh's mother Maureen dies following long illness
Tributes have been paid to the mother of music manager Louis Walsh who died aged 94 on Sunday. Maureen Walsh, of Kiltimagh, Co Mayo, has been described as a "gracious, kind and generous lady". The mother-of-nine was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease over a decade ago and was in the care of St Attracta's Nursing Home, Charlestown. She will repose at her home in Church Street, Kiltimagh on Wednesday from 4pm to 8pm. Her funeral mass will take place at the Church of the Holy Family, Kiltimagh at noon on Thursday followed by burial at Kilkinure Cemetery. A notice on reads: "Predeceased by her husband Frank, her daughter Catherine, her parents Martin and Delia, her brother Sean and her son-in-law Pat O'Connor. "Cherished mother of Evelyn (O'Connor), Louis, Paul, Frank, Eamon, Padraic, Joseph, Noel and Sara (Keogh)." Former Boyzone manager Louis previously spoke about his close relationship with his mother. Maureen often flew to London and Miami to visit her son, and appeared on The X Factor when he was a judge in 2007. In 2015, he heartbreakingly opened up about her dementia diagnosis. He told Woman Magazine: "My mum has got Alzheimer's now. She doesn't know me. But she's fine, healthy and happy and doesn't know any better." Condolences have flooded in for the Mayo woman following the announcement of her death. One person wrote: "Deepest sympathy to all Maureen's family and friends. What a wonderful lady always with a smile. May she now enjoy the peace of Heaven with her beloved Frank." While another said: "Deepest sympathy to all the Walsh family, and also to the Healy and O'Hora families on the death of Maureen. Fond memories of a gracious, kind and generous lady. Rest in peace Maureen."
