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Tampon drive gives much-needed products to homeless women in Chilliwack

Chilliwack's NWO Junior Roller Derby league is holding a tampon drive to help women living on the streets.
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Suzanne Gardiner and the NWO Junior Roller Derby league are holding a tampon drive until the end of the month. The feminine hygiene products will be given to homeless women.

Imagine being a woman, living on the street, and your period has just started.

What would you do?

You can’t afford feminine products because you only have enough money to buy a sandwich.

Homeless women in Chilliwack, and around the world, continue to struggle with this problem every month.

Suzanne Gardiner, a coach with Chilliwack’s NWO Junior Roller Derby league, is wanting to help with the situation.

“I don’t think people should be having to choose between food and tampons,” says Gardiner.

She, along with fellow coach Dave Morris, and the league itself, is holding a tampon drive until the end of the month.

The two coaches want the league to focus more on giving back.

“I’m all about community,” she says.

Gardiner is hoping to get a mountain of pads and tampons donated by the people of Chilliwack.

“We’re a female league, so it’s something that people can relate to,” she says. “This generation doesn’t know much about needing for anything.”

A year ago, Gardiner was scrolling through Facebook when she came across a video (below) about some women on the streets in the U.S., and their struggles with affording feminine hygiene products.

“It stuck with me,” she says. “It was kind of haunting.”

The homeless women who were interviewed would substitute tampons and pads with toilet paper, napkins, cotton balls, and even clothing like socks and tank tops.

The health concerns using non-sanitary items is huge. Infections can occur, or women can experience toxic shock syndrome, a potentially fatal illness caused by a bacterial toxin.

In addition to it being a health issue, it affects a woman’s pride.

A woman having to ask for a cup of hot water at a Starbucks so she can wash herself can be embarrassing, she adds.

“When your pride is gone, you’re full of shame,” says Gardiner. “We don’t ask for this, our period.”

She’s hoping Chilliwack will help with their tampon drive.

This is the second act of kindness the league has taken on. In December, they put together 36 kits (18 for each gender) that were given to less-fortunate teenagers through the Salvation Army’s Christmas hampers. The kits were filled with toiletries, as well as earbuds, gloves, and toques.

Gardiner would like to see the league to do one fundraiser every other month.

She and the league are welcoming the public to stop by any of their practices until the end of February to make a donation of tampons, pads or money.

People can donate during these NWO Junior Roller Derby practice time slots and events:

• Tuesday, Feb. 14, 7-9 p.m. at Chilliwack Heritage Park• Saturday, Feb. 18, 12:30 -2:30 p.m. at the Landing Sports Centre• Saturday, Feb. 18 and Sunday, Feb. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the NWO Junior Roller Derby booth during the All About Kids and Family Expo at Chilliwack Heritage Park• Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7-9 p.m. at Chilliwack Heritage Park• Saturday, Feb. 25, 12:30 -2:30 p.m. at the Landing Sports Centre

“This is not just a one-time deal. This is an issue all the time,” she says. “I don’t think people realize that (being homeless) is not just about food and shelter.”

jenna.hauck@theprogress.com@PhotoJennalism



Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
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