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News and Stories from the Vancouver Airport Chapel - Christmas 2018
HOLIDAY DROP-IN & ANNUAL FUND-RAISER:
The month of December sees the Chapel decorated for the holidays and smelling like apple cider! Yum-yum and thank you Superstore for the cider! Smiles and homemade goodies greet Airport employees of all faiths, as they rest from their busy work schedules... [and FYI, Vancouver International Airport just reached the 25 million passenger level for 2018!]
Our Annual Fund-Raiser gives donors of $10 an opportunity to win two WestJet tickets to fly to any of their destinations during the year 2019. Another donor will win an Airport Fairmont package with an overnight stay and brunch to follow. A third donor will win a $100 gift certificate to Monk's Grill at YVR. Thanks a million to each of these faithful support groups at the Airport!
Please come by the Chapel by December 21 to participate in the Fund-raiser. We appreciate your support!
PEOPLE STORIES:
This episode just occurred in late November and really illustrates the outstanding Customer Care that the Vancouver International Airport is known and recognized for. This story highlights the sympathetic side of the Canadian Border Services Agency (Immigration) and YVR Public Safety Officers that often gets overlooked, as they sometimes have to be tough to deal with the challenges of today's world.
The Story: A father of Asian origin and his 3 young daughters landed at YVR from the US, but his wife and their son were forced by unknown circumstances to remain in the States. All 6 of them had spent some months in America, but had decided to return to their homeland to connect again with the grandparents and restart their lives. However, since the mother and son were unable to accompany them, the father and 3 daughters needed to spend several nights in the Vancouver Airport, as finances, paperwork and travel logistics had to be worked out. Eventually the mother and son were able to head back home from Seattle, but the father and the 3 girls needed assistance to survive their situation at the Vancouver Airport, before they could leave.
At this point, our Public Safety and Immigration officers jumped into action! Public Safety officers assisted the family by finding them a quiet place in the terminal to reside for two evenings. Then, while the Immigration Office was working out important details, one of their officers took it upon himself to approach the Airport Fairmont Hotel to ask for their compassion on the ordeal. Thankfully the staff quickly responded, by allowing the family to stay for one evening to bathe and sleep well - Yes! And, all during these few days, other Immigration and Public Safety officers had obtained food vouchers for this beleaguered Dad, who was low on cash and at wits end, i.e. his kids were tired, rambunctious and missing their Mom!
Next, Immigration and Public Safety officers brought the whole family to the Chapel, knowing that two more nights remained before they could get on the flight that the grandparents had arranged. The Chapel was happy to welcome them and to offer them our support and facilities, all to their delight! The next day two other Immigration officers came all the way from downtown to check on their situation and to bring baby diapers and snacks for the whole family, for which the father was extremely grateful. Wow! These wonderful officers went far beyond the call of duty to show their concern for both the emotional well-being and the practical needs of this family. Well-done! Being parents themselves was a strong motivating factor for this unusual action, they both proclaimed as they returned downtown.
Finally, the following day, the exhausted family was on their way home, and thankful beyond words for the care they had received.
The Result: All in all, this story represents what YVR loves best - Teamwork and Customer Care! It was heart-warming to see so many stakeholders in the YVR Community working together to take care of this family in need! The Chapel is very grateful to be part of such a Team, and may we continue to be ready to respond to opportunities like this!
Holiday Best Wishes to you from the Chapel Team,
Dennis
News and Stories from the Vancouver Airport Chapel - Christmas 2018
HOLIDAY DROP-IN & ANNUAL FUND-RAISER:
The month of December sees the Chapel decorated for the holidays and smelling like apple cider! Yum-yum and thank you Superstore for the cider! Smiles and homemade goodies greet Airport employees of all faiths, as they rest from their busy work schedules... [and FYI, Vancouver International Airport just reached the 25 million passenger level for 2018!]
Our Annual Fund-Raiser gives donors of $10 an opportunity to win two WestJet tickets to fly to any of their destinations during the year 2019. Another donor will win an Airport Fairmont package with an overnight stay and brunch to follow. A third donor will win a $100 gift certificate to Monk's Grill at YVR. Thanks a million to each of these faithful support groups at the Airport!
Please come by the Chapel by December 21 to participate in the Fund-raiser. We appreciate your support!
PEOPLE STORIES:
This episode just occurred in late November and really illustrates the outstanding Customer Care that the Vancouver International Airport is known and recognized for. This story highlights the sympathetic side of the Canadian Border Services Agency (Immigration) and YVR Public Safety Officers that often gets overlooked, as they sometimes have to be tough to deal with the challenges of today's world.
The Story: A father of Asian origin and his 3 young daughters landed at YVR from the US, but his wife and their son were forced by unknown circumstances to remain in the States. All 6 of them had spent some months in America, but had decided to return to their homeland to connect again with the grandparents and restart their lives. However, since the mother and son were unable to accompany them, the father and 3 daughters needed to spend several nights in the Vancouver Airport, as finances, paperwork and travel logistics had to be worked out. Eventually the mother and son were able to head back home from Seattle, but the father and the 3 girls needed assistance to survive their situation at the Vancouver Airport, before they could leave.
At this point, our Public Safety and Immigration officers jumped into action! Public Safety officers assisted the family by finding them a quiet place in the terminal to reside for two evenings. Then, while the Immigration Office was working out important details, one of their officers took it upon himself to approach the Airport Fairmont Hotel to ask for their compassion on the ordeal. Thankfully the staff quickly responded, by allowing the family to stay for one evening to bathe and sleep well - Yes! And, all during these few days, other Immigration and Public Safety officers had obtained food vouchers for this beleaguered Dad, who was low on cash and at wits end, i.e. his kids were tired, rambunctious and missing their Mom!
Next, Immigration and Public Safety officers brought the whole family to the Chapel, knowing that two more nights remained before they could get on the flight that the grandparents had arranged. The Chapel was happy to welcome them and to offer them our support and facilities, all to their delight! The next day two other Immigration officers came all the way from downtown to check on their situation and to bring baby diapers and snacks for the whole family, for which the father was extremely grateful. Wow! These wonderful officers went far beyond the call of duty to show their concern for both the emotional well-being and the practical needs of this family. Well-done! Being parents themselves was a strong motivating factor for this unusual action, they both proclaimed as they returned downtown.
Finally, the following day, the exhausted family was on their way home, and thankful beyond words for the care they had received.
The Result: All in all, this story represents what YVR loves best - Teamwork and Customer Care! It was heart-warming to see so many stakeholders in the YVR Community working together to take care of this family in need! The Chapel is very grateful to be part of such a Team, and may we continue to be ready to respond to opportunities like this!
Holiday Best Wishes to you from the Chapel Team,
Dennis
