Community members celebrated the arrival of a new Syrian family to Chéticamp. Following a caravan led by the RCMP, fire department and first reponders, people gathered outside the family’s home to give Ahmed, Dhiyah, and their children, Mohanad, Fatima, Houda, and Mustafa, a warm welcome.

The family was sponsored by the Saint Andrew’s United Church in Pleasant Bay with the help of a group of volunteers called Lifeline 224. “We’re very excited to have them here after coming from Syria via Lebanon and have a safe place to live now,” said Lifeline 224 chair Howard MacKay.

The committee has welcomed two other Syrian families in the last few years. It’s part of a private sponsorship program where the group must be able to provide up to 1 year financial and social support.

Rahmeh Alnassan arrived from Syria with her husband and children in 2016 and is now welcoming her cousin’s family. “We are so happy. After [such] a long time, everybody’s happy,” she said.

According to community volunteers, everyone benefits from helping newcomers settle in the region. “Acadians are very welcoming,” said Lifeline 224 executive member Michel Williatte-Battet. “With the first family that arrived, everything went very well. People are very warm. I think it’s good for the community, it brings in young people.”

The children will be starting school this week, a few days after coming out of self-isolation. Volunteer Cindy Roach was at Sunday’s celebration with her daughter. “[She] is pretty exited because one of the kids will be in her class so she’s excited to come say hello today,” she said.