After six twisters ripped through the Ottawa-Gatineau area last month, hundreds of homes were destroyed, and thousands of people were left without power, including Blerta Mahmuti.
"We lost power in the evening, but didn't think much about it," recalls Mahmuti, Senior Analyst, TD Bank Group. "It was a disappointment that we couldn't watch Netflix, but my brother and I laughed it off. We grew up in Eastern Europe where losing power was common, so it reminded us of our childhood. It wasn't until the next day that we realized how much destruction the winds had caused."
The day after the storm, Mahmuti along with TD volunteers, members of the Canada Wildlife Federation and volunteers from the community were supposed to plant up to 100 native trees and shrubs as part of the ninth annual TD Tree Days. Power was gradually being restored in the aftermath of the storm, but nearly 300,000 people were without electricity, (including Mahmuti) when she woke up.
"I had no phone, no internet and no way to get in touch with the TD Tree Day volunteers who had registered. My only option was to honour my commitment," said Mahmuti. "Even if one volunteer showed up, we could still make a difference and it would be worth it."
Mahmuti headed to the event. Normally it would be a 20-minute commute, but it ended up taking her over an hour to get to the planting location due to darkened traffic lights and fallen trees had closed several streets.
Mahmuti was undeterred.
TD Tree Days helps bring to life The Ready Commitment by growing and enhancing green spaces across North America. For nine years, TD Tree Days has helped build healthy and vibrant communities by facilitating the planting of over 300,000 native trees and shrubs across the country.
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