LETTER: Support for bike drive was more limited, says Church

June 17, 2016 · 0 Comments

I am writing on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

You published an article on May 28 with respect to the Syrian refugee family mentioning, among other things, the support of our local congregation and specifically that of Paula Jones and Terri-Ann Gawthroupe.

We sincerely appreciate and are humbled by the recognition which you have given to the church in your publication. It was never our intent to receive such.

Nevertheless, I have been asked by our leaders, including Terri-Ann and Paula, to clarify something in the article and wonder if you might be willing to print a correction in your next edition.

Our support of this family was more limited in scope than was presented in the article. The church did not “sponsor” the family or necessarily “help with their resettlement” beyond arranging for the bike donations.

Our hope with asking for a correction is to ensure that we do not take away from or offend any individuals or organizations that actually did contribute, financially or otherwise, or who may have actually sponsored this family and made their relocation to Shelburne possible.

Our involvement was really limited to coordinating the bike donation effort.

On my reading, the only portion of the article which suggests otherwise is in the second paragraph of the article where it reads parenthetically that the church “sponsored the family and helped with their resettlement.”

We appreciate your cooperation and assistance with making the clarification above.

Ted Cox
Orangeville Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints