One day, in the dead of winter of 2023, friends Andre Gomes and Paul Wyrchowny were out for a walk when they saw a group of people wearing safety vests and pulling a wagon. They wandered over to see what the group was up to, and the rest is history. Gomes and Wyrchowny have been volunteering with the Echoes Truth and Love Across the Water community outreach walk, based out of Huddle South Central, every week for two years.
Gomes, who is a handyman and jack of all trades, and Wyrchnowny, who leads a writing team for internet search optimization, had already considered trying to help out in their community. They had bought a wagon and had gone out a time or two on their own to pick up garbage and meet folks from the neighbourhood. They wanted to be more connected to their community, and finding others who were looking to do the same felt like coming home.
“I’ve lived in St. Boniface for almost ten years now and this walk has changed how I interact with my community,” shares Wyrchowny. “Sometimes I’m at Dominion Centre [a local strip mall] to run errands, and I see people we’ve helped. We recognize each other, and we say hi. I feel more tied in with the people around me, both the volunteers and the people in community. It honestly just feels like hanging out with friends.”
Gomes agrees. “It’s been so great to get to know people and make new connections,” he shares. “I’ve learned a bit about Indigenous culture, just from the people on the walk, and nature, plants and people in general. There are a lot of great folks involved.”
Wyrchowny adds that the people are the best part of the Echoes Walk. “It sounds like a generic answer, to say that the people make it special,” he admits with a laugh. “But I really do feel that in my heart. There’s non-stop banter the whole time. People are singing, even dancing sometimes. We’re dealing with serious issues; making sure people have food, water and harm reduction supplies. But it’s also somehow quite joyful.”
“It’s a joyful understanding of each other, and of our city,” continues Gomes. “Being on the walk makes you very present, but I was surprised by just how present I am.”
Both men would love to see more volunteers join the walks, if only to become more connected to the realities faced by our city’s most marginalized populations. “People might have an idea of what homelessness looks like, but every single person we meet has a unique personality, fears and hopes, and story,” shares Wyrchowny.
“Outreach is really important but it’s only a band-aid solution to a spiritual problem,” believes Gomes. “This isn’t just an economic issue, let’s be clear. So being on the walks gives you a bigger picture, a broader picture, of what’s going on in your heart and your mind. You don’t have to do anything amazing to be a part of these walks; just have goodwill for yourself and for others.”
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Huddle South Central runs outreach walks on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings, every week, rain or shine (or snow!). To learn more and to get involved, please visit their website.