Best friends create unique message of support for Bay de Verde

Two Grade 4students from TriconElementaryin Bayde Verde gotcreativeto send a message topeople affected by the fire at the town's fish plant.

• Bay de Verde fish plant workers displaced by fire start work in Brigus
• Bay de Verde residents come together in prayer, prepare to move on

EmmaBurseyand Anna MarchMulrooney live in Old Perlican, about 15 kilometres away. The best friends decided to makeposters as a show of support.

"It's for everybody that helped in any way and just to let everybody know that we're there for them if they need anything," saidBursey

"Even thoughwelive in OldPerlican,doesn't mean we can't help out the people in Bay de Verde because it is very, very sad and a bunch of people lost their jobs."

"We were just walking down the road and we were thinking why don't we make a sign to pray for the fire department, so we decided to do this and we got everybodyto sign it," said Mulrooney.

"We thought it was a great idea and we wanted everybody to know how devastating it is."

Hard on families

The Quinlan Brothersfish plant, one of the largest in the province, burned to the ground Monday,forcing hundreds of people to evacuate part of the community and leaving700 employees out of work.

• 'What do we do now?' Bay de Verde workers head home to Harbour Breton,Englee

It was the first time Bay de Verde had to use its emergency plan, and many of those forced out of the area headed to the elementary school or stayedwith relatives.

While the girls know tragedies like these can be focused mainly on the adults, they want people to know it affects families.

"It does have an affect on some people who, their parents have no jobs so they can't do as much as they could and now it's very hard for them too and it's very devastating," MulrooneytoldCBC'sSt. John's Morning.

Keeping things normal

Wendy Tizzard, principal ofTriconElementary, welcomed the girls' idea,as did everyone in the school, and offered her help and support.

"Mrs.Tizzard helped us we went class to class and interrupted the classes to get them to sign it,"saidMulrooney.

"They were all kind, and they were generous with what we were doing, especially the teachers, they all loved the idea."

She said even though classes were cancelled because of the fire, removing children from the tense situation, they still need to process the devastation.

"I mean they're home and they hear everything,and they come to schooland we're trying to keep it as normal as possible and a place for them to come and get away from all that I guess," said Tizzard.

"They [Bursey and Mulrooney]were just there Tuesday morning, justhands on," she said. "They've been so sweet talking about it and every now and then you hear little conversations on the go especially with the some of the younger kids who don't quite know what's on the go."

Tizzardadded that some students have even been overheard brainstorming about what their parents can do for new jobs.

Pulling together

While the loss of the fish plant is a major blow tothe area,Tizzard saidpeople inthe community have a way of pulling together to overcomeadversity.

"I really feel everybody will be okay. It's just going to take a little time to get organized," she said.

"It's nice to see thatQuinlansare on the go right away and getting people back to work and hopefully everybody will have a productive summer, I pray, and we'll get back to normal."

"So, it's been interesting.I hope I never have to do it again, it seems like the longest week in history and today is still onlyThursday."