First ever Dignity Barn opens up in Fairview on the corner of 106 Street and 101 Avenue. (Photo Credit: Elements The Compass Of Health / Facebook)

By Shane Clausing

Dignity Barn

Dignity Barns providing place to give, receive needed items

Oct 21, 2020 | 2:59 PM

The first-ever Dignity Barn has opened up in the Town of Fairview, located on the corner of 106 Street and 101 Avenue.

The barn was established by resident Michelle Dacyk, after she picked up the idea from a friend in Grande Prairie.

“She has one in her front yard in Cobblestone and she had asked my boyfriend if he could build it for her. That was where the original idea was in the back of my mind.”

Over the last five years, Dacyk has been part of a group called the Beauty Bags Project, which provides 50 uniquely feminine bags to different organizations that help serve the vulnerable female population of the Peace Region.

However, she saw an issue that needed to be addressed in her community.

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“What I was noticing for Fairview, is that we are having a male population that are struggling in rural communities.”

Dacyk says that over the last several months, she’s noticed more people going through garbage bins in the town, searching for food and trying to collect bottles and cans off of the highway.

She says that the barn is filled with donations from the community and will be used as a tool help the homeless, and those less fortunate, get the essential items that they need in order to survive.

With the barn officially open as of October 21, Dacyk tells EverythingGP that so far, members in the community have been generous with their donations.

“Right now somebody donated some weather tolerant food, another person donated some feminine products, a brush for hair care and my cousin had donated some toques and some scarfs, I want to go get socks, winter gloves and some hot pods that help out.

“As things come in, I’ll just store it temporarily, and as people take from the barn outside, I’ll be able to restock along the way. Anything that can’t be stored outside, I’ll give it to our food bank.”

Dacyk hopes that those in need can really benefit and gain some dignity from this barn.

“People will be able to come and give what they can and take what they need without having to worry about the dignity part of it. I can’t imagine that somebody going through a garbage bin is feeling very dignified at that moment.”

The Dignity Barn is available to anyone in need.