Social Media and Devastation make IMPACT!

 

"We’re Calgarians. We’re going to make it work.  The show will go on."

Calgary Mayor Nenshi
@MayorNenshi

 

It is hard to believe that just two short weeks ago, my family and the entire nation were glued to the tube watching our wonderful city in a state of emergency, evacuation and devastation while #ABFloods took over social media.  Unbelievable, likely.  I was texting my best friend continuously after her and her family had to be evacuated from their home for 5 days and camped at Canada Olympic Park in their tent trailer which was reserved for memorable family summer vacations.  Memorable, certainly.

 

 

 

In the midst of downtown and many other areas in the city’s power shut down, a hero was emerging from a political figure who was not a first before – Mayor Nenshi, 41-- a first-term mayor who gained national attention when his civic  campaign was orchestrated heavily by social media to beat the perceived front-runners and international acclaim when he became the first Muslim leader of a major Canadian city.

Superman status was solidified for Nenshi who worked tirelessly for 43 hours straight as the Bow and Elbow rivers that run through Calgary surged over their banks and swamped the downtown and low-lying neighbourhoods – damaging the homes and livelihoods of thousands of his citizens.  Add to that:  cheerleader, director, benevolent scolder:   “Help your neighbours,”  he exhorted, “be it with a shovel or a ride. Hug your emergency providers”

Nenshi communicated with his citizens and championed his team of firemen, police and volunteers by tweeting, imploring, directing, assisting, cheering on and cheering up residents who saw homes ruined and possessions literally float away.  Community spirit, definitely.  Recovery, eventually.

How befitting that the 101^st Calgary Stampede’s Parade marshal after such devastation, a symbol for Canadian pride, would be Chris Hadfield.  Hatfield was the first Canadian astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station.  Born August 29, 1959, in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, Hadfield enthralled novice space enthusiasts with his Twitter feed, offering insight into his life aboard the station while also taking and sharing stunning images of the universe around him.  He inspired youngsters around the world to be curious, think about science and dream big.  Canadians and Calgarians especially were thrilled that the official invite would be navigated through Twitter:



@Cmdr_Hadfield Parade Marshall, Stampede 2013

@calgarystampede : Hey @Cmdr_Hadfield, that’s a great looking pic of Calgary you took in April, but we think Calgary’s at its best in July. #Stampede101

Chris Hadfield        ✔ @Cmdr_Hadfield .@calgarystampede Calgary in July sounds lovely! Anything worth coming to see that time of year? #Stampede101

11:02 AM - 8 May 2013

 Calgary Stampede @calgarystampede  Well @Cmdr_Hadfield you will just have to come visit to find out. What do you think about sitting in a horse saddle at full gravity?

Chris Hadfield        ✔ @Cmdr_Hadfield  @calgarystampede Space suit, white hat, cowboy boots – I’ll be ready to ride anything that stays below 8km a second.

7:03 AM - 9 May 2013

Calgary Stampede @calgarystampede  Yahoo! @Cmdr_Hadfield we’d love you to be parade commander at The Greatest Outdoor Show On EARTH!

Chris Hadfield        ✔ @Cmdr_Hadfield  @calgarystampede I would be THRILLED to be the Stampede Parade Marshall! A great reason to come back to Earth!

12:14 PM - 9 May 2013

 

Chris Hadfield’s celebrity took another leap shortly before returning to Earth, when, with the help of his web-savvy son, Evan, Hadfield performed and produced a music-video tribute to David Bowie's "Space Oddity" aboard the Space Station. The video http://youtu.be/KaOC9danxNo was posted on YouTube, garnering more than 7 million views within just a few days.

 

"When a person of Shatner’s stature puts the time in to learn and live social media, his opinions there matter."

Forbes

Not to be outdone, another well-known Canadian and famous space captain edged into the action.  William Shatner, 82,  born March 22, 1931 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T. Kirk, captain of the USS Enterprise, in the science fiction television series, Star Trek, from 1966 to 1969 and in seven of the subsequent Star Trek feature films from 1979 to 1994.

 

@WilliamShatner

 William Shatner@WilliamShatner: @Cmdr_Hadfield Are you tweeting from space?

Chris Hadfield@Cmdr_Hadfield to @WilliamShatner Yes, Standard Orbit, Captain. And we're detecting signs of life on the surface.

Naysayers on Social Media aside, the importance of Social Media, has an important role in informing, teaching, engaging, and sharing  …. from earth and beyond.

Yes, the show did go on for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth!

@CalgaryStampede

A hero or a Cowboy or maybe Superman?  Nah .... simply a mayor with a huge heart who lead a city with civic pride.

Come Hell or High Water … The Greatest Show on Earth did go on!

 

In order to aid in the relief efforts to our fellow Albertans, proceeds from each “Hell or High Water” t-shirt sold will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross Alberta Floods Fund, which is actively providing relief to flood victims.  Available at http://store.calgarystampede.com/products/hell-or-high-water #ABFloods #YYC #Calgary