Photo by Colton McKee

By Hayley Ferguson

Purse for Sister, Bag for Mister

Rotary club making sure everybody has a bag to call their own

Oct 11, 2019 | 5:36 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – For many women, they don’t think twice when they pick up their purse when heading out the door.

According to Natasha Carvalho with the Women’s Shelter, a purse can be more than a fashion statement for somebody fleeing family violence.

“People don’t have anything because they’ve left in the middle of the night or whenever they’ve decided to leave, they’re just going. And you’re just grabbing your kids and going,” she continued. “A lot of time they don’t even have a purse to put all their stuff in. Or a bag to carry their things in. It’s just nice to not have to carry things loosely. I always say it gives people a little bit more respect and dignity just to have stuff like everybody.

That’s why the Sunrise Rotary Club has organized the second annual “Purse for a Sister, Bag for a Mister” drive.

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They’re asking people to donate gently used purses, backpacks, and duffel bags and to fill them up with small gifts and necessities for those in need.

“She may need some hygiene products, lip balm, toothpaste, toothbrush. This time of year especially it’s cold. So of course if you’ve got gloves, scarves, mitts,” said the clubs’ treasurer Bill Cooper.

Carvalho had similar ideas.

“Hygiene items are perfect, shampoos and conditioners,” she said. “Gift cards if people feel like doing that. Some people had little jewelry, razors. Anything like that is helpful.”

The bags go to the Women’s Shelter and Salvation Army.

This year, the Rotary Club decided to involve Saamis Immigration as they often help families escaping violence with next to nothing.

“We had Elizabeth Thomson come and give us a presentation a little while ago. So we found out that they too are running from violent sets of circumstances. And it takes them a while to get to Medicine Hat. But as they’ve come, they’ve lost things,” Cooper explained.

Elizabeth Thomson, who is the community connections coordinator with Saamis Immigration, agrees that a purse can mean more then people realize.

“Just to feel normal and as a mainstream Canadian. Most women carry purses around when you see them in the mall. So it kind of makes them feel like part of the community to be the same.”

Carvalho agreed with Thomson.

“We take it for granted and I think that people forget that’s a lot.”

Those who can donate can drop off bags at the Medicine Hat Library or Excel Physical Therapy at 568 South Railway St SE until November 15th.