EVENT: NOVEMBER 19, 2022 | 10AM – 4PM | CIVIC CENTRE
COMMEMORATE OUR RESILIENCY
November in Merritt is about to take on new meaning as we embrace the unique connection our community experienced as we rallied together to support our friends, neighbours, and colleagues in the days and nights following the November 2021 flood. Join us in creating Thank Your Neighbour Day to honour the every day heroes who rose to action to provide support or lend a helping hand.
This coming November 19, 2022, from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, join us at this Open House Community Event at the Merritt Civic Centre, with food, music, activities, displays, and resources. Help make this a true community event. Add your contribution, with your stories, talents, or resources.
Let us join together to memorialize the tales of astonishment, triumph, and recovery. Let us embrace the love and kindness of neighbours and strangers. Let us make new memories and turn November into a month of community and connection.
PRINT + SHARE
THIS POSTER
RESIDENTS: SHARE YOUR STORY
Make your mark in history. Together, we can make an impact that can lead us on the road to recovery. Post your story, photos, thank you cards, or artwork on our community bulletin boards and let us revel in the community spirit we shared as we rallied together to help our neighbours.
WHERE YOUR STORY WILL BE DISPLAYED AND/OR PUBLISHED
Your stories will be assembled and posted on a display board in Merritt Civic Centre for the November 19th event. (The display will be assembled during the week of November 14th). After the event, your stories will be sent to the museum archives. After the event, your stories will be sent to the Nicola Valley Museum & Archives.
We would also like to post a selection of stories on the City’s website and make them available to media. It’s our stories that will help us garner the help we need to continue to recover. Please advise if you do not want your stories shared on the internet. Please also note that while we want to share every story on the website, we do not have the resources available to upload a complete online record. Stories will be randomly selected to be featured on the website. Additional stories will be added as time permits. We will begin to publish stories upon receipt.
CONTENT IDEAS
- Your story of astonishment, triumph, recovery, and appreciation (with photos & captions).
- Funny anecdotes like, what was the strangest thing you brought with you on the evacuation.
- Laud the acts of kindness of neighbours and strangers.
- Your original artwork that depicts what the event meant to you. Children’s artwork encouraged.
- Thank you cards.
- Anything that honours the spirit of this event, noting your appreciation for our supportive community.
Note: If inappropriate content is submitted, you will be invited to resubmit.
FORMAT
MAXIMUM SIZE: 8.5 x 11 letter-sized paper. (Sample layouts shown at right). If your story is longer than one sheet of paper, the additional sheets will be stapled behind the front page. If you wish to provide artwork significantly larger than a letter-sized sheet, please contact us.
OPTION 1: Bring your printed story, photos, artwork, or thank you cards to Merritt Civic Centre for assembly on display boards.
OPTION 2: Email a PDF of your assembled story with photos and captions to stories@merritt.ca. If you would like your story also posted online, please send original high resolution images. Note, most computer programs allow you to “export”, “save as,” or “print to PDF.”
OPTION 3: If you are unable to assemble your story as requested, plain text and photos will be accepted.
FILE TRANSER OPTIONS: If your file size is large or you need to send a batch of photos or video, you may use a free file transfer service like DropBox, Google Drive, WeTransfer, or Hightail. (The City of Merritt does not endorse any one file transfer service). A link to YouTube or Vimeo will be accepted.
DUE NOVEMBER 4, 2022 | SUBMIT TO STORIES@MERRITT.CA
SAMPLE BULLETIN BOARD LAYOUT
DUE: NOVEMBER 4, 2022 | SEND TO: STORIES@MERRITT.CA | OR DROP OFF AT THE CIVIC CENTRE
OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS
Want to add to the community event with a donation, volunteer activity, resource, or other special addition? Send your suggestion to neighbourday@merritt.ca.
BUSINESSES: CONTRIBUTIONS WELCOME
Join us in giving heartfelt thanks to the many members of the community, local businesses, and support organizations that helped us all cope, recover and build resiliency over the last year.
As we approach this one-year marker, we again embrace the many support organizations that rose to lend a helping hand, also extending an invitation to local businesses that wish to support this Thank Your Neighbour community event. Any form of contribution would be welcome, whether you want to bring food, drinks, activities, donation, or simply share your story.
Please submit your logo and a link to your own webpage for more information about your contribution to the November 2021 flood support and recovery. Businesses are also invited to share their stories on our community bulletin boards. See above for details.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS
The following agencies will be attending to provide mental health resources.