Dear Editor of “homefront letters from our readers”,

I live in Calgary, Alberta and had the opportunity to visit your wonderful province with friends in the month of June of this year.  I thought it was important to write this letter to thank the staff at both Terra Nova National Park and Pistolet Bay Provincial Park.  I camped in both of these beautiful parks and had forgot some things in both these parks.  While in the shower room at Pistolet Bay campground I left my silver necklace that my late husband had given to me on a bench.  As we were travelling the whole province and had left this campground that day, I realized I did not have my necklace.  I phoned right away, and a staff member said they would look for it and get back to me. The same day, they phoned back and said yes it was found and when I asked if it could be sent to me after telling them the story of my husbands passing in November they did not hesitate to say they would send it to me by mail to my home in Calgary, Alberta.  A shout out goes to Glen Patey who wrapped it up in gauze and tape, and put it in a bubble wrapped envelope to make sure it got to me safely.  It meant a lot to me to get it back, and it is an example of how wonderful, kind, and understanding people are in Newfoundland.

A second situation happened to me on the same trip in Terra Nova National Park.  I was camped in this beautiful park and forgot my lightweight hammer and air pump for my Neo air sleeping mattress in a cook shelter.  I realized it the next day when I went to set up my tent and did not have what I needed.  I phoned the park and the staff member said they would look for it and they did and they found them exactly where I had left them.  I was heading for St. John’s and after two or three phone calls back and forth, a staff member called me to say she had a solution on how to get the equipment to me.  A staff member from the park was travelling to St. John’s and could drop it off at the Signal Hill Visitor Centre in 5 days if that would work.  When I got to the visitor centre the staff there of course had it and were happy to have it returned to me.  The staff at Terra Nova park went over and beyond to make sure my equipment was returned to me and I cannot thank them enough for doing that.  My husband and I were avid campers and travellers.  The pieces of equipment were given to me as gifts from my husband who had recently passed so I felt blessed to get them back. Another example of people from Newfoundland showing their warmth, kindness, and generosity by doing what they can to help visitors to their wonderful province.  Thankyou Glen Patey and staff from both Pistolet Bay Provincial Park and Terra Nova National Park campgrounds.

Nancy Jarvis
Calgary, Alberta