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Veterans group creates trust fund for first responders after Broncos crash

Apr 20, 2018 | 8:00 AM

A trust fund set up for the first responders of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash has so far raised close to $120,000.

Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC), which has traditionally marketed itself as a support group for veterans and their families, helped create the Humboldt First Responders Fund. Executive Director Scott Maxwell said he was surprised by the immediate response.

“What’s come in today has been overwhelming, we know it’s going to make a direct impact over time,” he said.

Maxwell said the idea for the fund arose, after hearing nationwide concern for the men and women who first arrived at the crash site. He said they received an abundance of inquiries from people wishing to donate.

The money will be used in two ways: group support from WWC’s trauma resiliency team which will travel to a requested community, and on an individual request basis for those who require more personal psychological support.

“What we are here to do is say is if people are in need of support, are in need of some clinical evidence based mental health programming, that it is available and we are there for them just as they were there for those kids and that team,” Maxwell said.

Maxwell said there are programs available through WWC for people who may experience long term effects. Some of those programs include couples counselling or equine therapy. In the meantime he said they would leave the trust fund going for a while.

“No one is forced to receive any of these programs. The most important thing is the money is there if and when people want to access it they know it’s available and readily so,” he said.

 

Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 3:43 p.m. on Friday, April 20, 2018 to correct a typo.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell