Children's 'messages of hope' brighten fences, lighten hearts of Grand Forks flood victims

A caring gesture from a group of local schoolchildren has brightened up the dark past few weeks for Grand Forks, B.C., resident Natalie Demenoff.

Demenoff'shome was badly damaged during the massive floods that washed through the city last month.

At its worst, she said there was1.5 metres of water in her home in Ruckle, a neighbourhood in the city that saw some of the worst damage.

The water has receded, but Demenoffsays theensuing days have been a mess of cleaning and figuring out how to pick up the pieces.

"It's been hard," said Demenoff. "It's been really hard."

But when she arrived at her home to continue the work on Monday morning, she was met by a colourful surprise.

There were hand-painted canvases hanging along her fence line, each canvas displayinga different, encouraging message.

'Hold hope within our hearts'

"To be honest, it brought a tear to my eye," saidDemenoff.

"These messages of hope ... really illustrate how we must hold hope within our hearts. That one day we will be able to restore and heal."

The canvases created by children at John A. Hutton Elementary School included phrases such as "keep pushing forward" and "let the rivers not divide us, but connect us."

There was no one to greetDemenoffat her property, but she said the canvases spoke for themselves.

'Long journey'

Retired youth counsellorBeth Plotnikoffwas one of the people behind the heartfelt gesture.

She said the purpose of the project was to bring solace to members of the community who felt helpless.

"We know it's a long journeyto getting back on our feet here in our community," said Plotnikoff.

She said all the children who made the canvases have been affected in some way by the flooding. They've been empathetic while working on the project, which saw the canvases hung around the hardest hit areas.

Demenoff's granddaughter was in one of the classes of children who participated, and this promptedPlotnikoffand her husband to hang the canvases atDemenoff'sproperty.

Plotnikoffworked on a similar project with children in 2015, to bring comfort to those affected by theRock Creek fire.

With files from Radio West

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