Balkans Relief Effort – Red Cross Canada

A little current event info close to one of our CFV veterans:  Aida

The Canadian Red Cross is now accepting donations to help those affected by the worst flooding in more than a century in Serbia and Bosnia. To date, the record flooding in Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia in the past week has forced half a million people from their homes and led to at least 44 deaths. Authorities said the death toll likely to rise. Bosnian officials said a quarter of Bosnia’s population of 4 million have been affected by the six days of floods that covered a quarter of the country’s territory. Some 100,000 homes and 230 schools were destroyed by the torrents and 2,100 landslides. Thousands are still waiting to be rescued.

A state of emergency has been declared in 14 municipalities as houses, roads and railway lines have been submerged. The flooding has caused unsafe and unsanitary conditions as 350,000 people are without safe water or electricity. The Red Cross societies of both countries have been actively engaged in rescue and operation activities, providing relief and helping setting up centers for those evacuated.

As if the deadly flooding inundating much of the Balkans wasn’t alarming enough, rescuers must now grapple with another concern: the risk of landmines from the Bosnian war resurfacing. The rain triggered 2,100 landslides that wiped out an unknown number of warning signs marking 9,416 existing minefields containing 120,000 unexploded mines. No one knows how many have been dislodged and swept away.  “A vast number of landslides have worsened the situation and relief efforts,” the Red Cross said, describing the rains as the “worst floods in more than a century.”  The epic flooding is the worst Serbia has seen since the country began keeping records 120 years ago, meteorologists said. 

Thousands of staff and volunteers, many who have also been affected by the floods, are assisting with evacuations as well as providing relief items such as blankets, mattresses, drinking water, food and hygiene kits, rubber boots and water purifiers.

Canadians wishing to help those affected by the flooding are encouraged to make a financial donation online at Red Cross.ca, at their local Red Cross office or by calling . Please earmark donations “Balkan Floods 2014”. Funds will be used to support flood-affected communities.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27465175
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/19/world/europe/balkans-flooding

“These floods have brought on yet another tragedy to my homeland… our history seems to be defined by catastrophe. The damages are believed to exceed the damage brought on by the war in 90s. The unemployment in that region prior to flooding has reached over 60% rate rendering the economy weak and people hungry. This is a great shame as the country that I know is worth knowing about. It’s laced with rich history brought on by many civilizations that made their way through that region. Sarajevo, its capital, hosted 1984 Winter Olympics. You can raft class IV rapids on the Tara river, hike to waterfalls and highland villages, and explore one of the last primeval forests in Europe. In June, Bosnia is playing in its first-ever World Cup (Brazil). 

I have been in regular communication with my family who are still there and while they are safe, what they tell me is happening makes my heart bleed. I urge you to donate – these people need our help in the most fundamental way you can imagine…”

- Aida Hakirevic, Senior Manager, Vancouver

After working as a translator for Canadian Armed Forces in her native Bosnia during the brutal 1992-1995 war, Aida Hakirevic immigrated to Canada. In 1996, she enrolled in the Canadian Army Reserves while studying Pure and Applied Science at Vanier College in Montreal, QC. After receiving her B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University in 2001, she returned to Bosnia to work with the Canadian Peacekeepers on specific rebuilding projects. As part of Operation Palladium, she worked to rebuild schools and hospitals to help ease the return of Bosnian refugees to their homeland. In 2003, she joined Accenture in Resources OG.

Fridays Workout

Warm up: 

2 min stretching your front rack on each side

20 banded pull aparts

12/12 cossack squats

20/20 banded lateral walks

10/10 supermans

Workout:

16 min EMOM alternating minutes

pull ups

double unders

pick your own number for each movement

rest 5 min

16 min EMOM

Wall balls

Weighted sit ups

again, pick your own numbers and weight