Northern Hospitality

RCMP mug recently added to the stable of coffee cups. A fine new specimen for our Mountie collection as well. Thank you, Niece.

We may have been drinking from it when we recently read this book. 

The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland

We were afraid a book about 9/11 would be very sad, and it was, but the overwhelming feeling was amazement at the hospitality of an entire community towards the thousands of people stranded on their island when the events of the day caused the grounding of dozens of planes at their airport. 

So many acts of kindness! A beautiful result from a horrible act of violence.

A synopsis from Amazon:

When 38 jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land at Gander International Airport in Canada by the closing of U.S. airspace on September 11, the population of this small town on Newfoundland Island swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17,000. The citizens of Gander met the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill.

As the passengers stepped from the airplanes, exhausted, hungry and distraught after being held on board for nearly 24 hours while security checked all of the baggage, they were greeted with a feast prepared by the townspeople. Local bus drivers who had been on strike came off the picket lines to transport the passengers to the various shelters set up in local schools and churches. Linens and toiletries were bought and donated. A middle school provided showers, as well as access to computers, email, and televisions, allowing the passengers to stay in touch with family and follow the news.

Over the course of those four days, many of the passengers developed friendships with Gander residents that they expect to last a lifetime. As a show of thanks, scholarship funds for the children of Gander have been formed and donations have been made to provide new computers for the schools. This book recounts the inspiring story of the residents of Gander, Canada, whose acts of kindness have touched the lives of thousands of people and been an example of humanity and goodwill.

A recommended by NDL read. And the inspiration for the Broadway play Come from Away.