Caring: one tab at a time
Mom proud of son's efforts to help others at rehab centre
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
RANKIN INLET
Julius Sammurtok of Rankin Inlet is one special little boy who is trying to show one person can help make a difference, even if he is just six years old.
Julius Sammurtok, 6, of Rankin Inlet displays the piles of pull tabs he collected to help a youth purchase equipment in Winnipeg this past month. - photo courtesy of Isabelle Sammurtok |
Sammurtok, who has cerebral palsy, travels to Winnipeg for appointments at the Rehabilitation Centre for Children.
The centre helps children achieve their goals and participate in their communities.
Staff at the facility work with children, youth, their families and various partners to promote excellence in children's rehabilitation and developmental pediatrics through innovative clinical service, education, research and technologies.
Sammurtok's Mom, Isabelle, said during one of Julius's appointments at the centre, they noticed another child collecting pull tabs from cans and they decided to help by collecting them too.
She said the tabs raise money children or youths can use to purchase equipment to help improve their daily lives.
"They may decide to purchase a walker, a wheelchair, or whatever would make an improvement in their daily lives, you know," said Isabelle.
"I'm not sure exactly where they take the tabs to turn them into cash.
"Julius decided he wanted to help another child who was collecting the tabs.
"We started collecting them about seven months ago and he filled an entire suitcase with all the tabs we collected."
Isabelle said they never actually counted how many tabs Julius collected, but said there were "quite a lot" in bags upon bags when he took them to Winnipeg to turn in.
She said a lot of people saved their tabs to give to Julius once they found out what he was doing.
"He seemed proud when we gave them to the secretary at the Rehabilitation Centre for Children.
"I posted what Julius was doing around town, and my daughter posted it on her Facebook page, then everyone in Rankin started helping collect them.
"We also got tabs from people in other parts of Nunavut, as well as a person in Northern Quebec.
"We're going to continue collecting the tabs to donate to the rehab centre, so, if anyone is interested in helping out, they're more than welcome to help us."
Isabelle said Julius is doing good with his daily routine.
She said he attends kindergarten and loves to learn new things.
"I felt good when Julius got involved with the tabs and I was proud of him.
"I don't think he's really aware of how what he's doing helps, so I'm going to keep telling him why we do it.
"He knows he's helping, but he doesn't really understand how.
"His favourite things to do at home are playing with his toys or watching cartoons, but he loves to help out around the house too."
