Creating a sense of community

Megan Suitor

With Redwater being such a small community when compared to population sizes of most urban areas in Canada, it can be surprising to learn that there isn’t always a strong sense of community between residents. On Thursday, February 9, two ladies hosted a sharing circle that aimed to strengthen those bonds between Redwater community members.

One of the facilitators of the event that took place at Pembina, was Jess Schroffel. She explained a sharing circle as “an opportunity for community members to come together in a safe space, to connect with themselves and others. The safe space allows people to be vulnerable, in order to be seen and heard, therefore feeling connected.”

This was the first of this type of event that Schroffel and her friend Danielle Graham have facilitated here in Redwater, but they plan more in the future, and hope that more residents will feel comfortable turning out.

There has been a great deal of focus placed on the struggling mental health of many in the community, and worldwide, especially after Covid. An event like this gives a space where community members can reconnect, after experiencing so much disconnect during the past three years. 

“Our society has drifted so far into the idea that we’re all meant to figure things out for ourselves. Especially since covid, we were all forced to retreat even more and I see how detrimental that is to people’s mental and emotional health,” expressed Schoffel. “We are so disconnected from one another and that’s not the way humans thrive. Everyone needs to feel like they are a part of something, that they are important and worthy.”