Blessed with the long-running Coats for Kids program and partnerships with Sleep in Heavenly Peace and the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation, Manitoba State Deputy Mark Desjardins of the Knights of Columbus sought an opportunity to unite coats, beds and wheelchairs in a single humanitarian initiative.

Desjardins, a Knight since 2006 who attends St. Gianna Beretta Molla Parish in Winnipeg, reached out to Archbishop Murray Chatlain to inquire where a good place would be to carry out this philanthropic endeavour — a mission accomplished on Feb. 26.

Chatlain reached out to his priests and heard from Fr. Dhana Amarlapudi of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, who serves Sacred Heart Church on the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation — also known as Pukatawagan. Pukatawagan was identified as an ideal community to receive support as wildfires last year forced the evacuation of more than 2,000 residents from the reserve. The blaze drove them from their home for nearly two months, from the end of May to late July. Residents were relocated throughout Manitoba, but when vacancies became low, some ended up as far away as Niagara Falls, Ont.

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Adapting to cities was difficult for some who only knew life on a reserve. Upon their return, many power lines, poles and other equipment were damaged, and thus the community was without power for even longer. Less than a month ago, the community purchased an $8 million emergency backup generator system.

After receiving enthusiastic approval from the Knights' Supreme Council, Desjardins began to plan. He was also filled with the conviction that it is time for more people to see the good work implemented by the fraternal organization in wider society.

“It brings to light what the Knights of Columbus actually do,” said Desjardins. “The local churches might see you flipping pancakes, selling tickets or whatever to earn money for (causes) like this, but to actually be a part of the delivery… to actually put that coat on somebody, give that wheelchair or build that bed and put it in somebody's home is just so emotional. Money can't buy the pleasure you get out of doing that.”

After a team of 30 convened at Sleep in Heavenly Peace on Feb. 24 to assemble 22 beds, a smaller crew of 10 set out on an arduous 900-kilometre trek to the remote community nestled on the Churchill River system. The team stopped in the town of The Pas for a night before reaching its destination on Feb. 26.

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“You’re driving on regular roads, and then we had to switch to an ice road,” said Desjardins of the journey. “They’re bumpy, windy, narrow, and then you actually get onto ice. Then you're in the middle of a (frozen) lake. I've never done that before. I was concerned about having to go on the ice roads, but I found that driving on the lake was the best part because it was actually smooth.”

Upon arrival in Pukatawagan, the group — including Vaughn Wadelius, the Pas Grand Knight, Cleo Castillo, the Knights’ general insurance agent for Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, and Tony Kusiak from the Holy Ghost council in Winnipeg — was treated to a welcome lunch. They had time to assemble one bed, and demonstrated the procedure to one of the local carpenters so that they could complete this job when there are more kids who need beds.

Two young boys were given a bunk bed that day.

“They were so excited to learn how to crawl onto their new bunk bed.”

During the visit, Desjardins was struck by the friendliness of the community and the connection Amarlapudi has with the people.

“What he does for the kids and the people… I thought, this is what God wants us to do and how God wants us to treat people,” said Desjardins. “That's what he's doing in that community.”

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He also observed the impoverished conditions.

“When you see some of these reserves and how poor they are, you can't help but be proud of what we did for that community.”