Leila Castro nominated to Our Manitoba Heroes
Castro was nominated for her leadership with 204 Neighbourhood Watch
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This article was published 29/10/2018 (2504 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Volunteering has always been joyful for a local Maples resident.
On Oct. 27, Leila Castro was honoured as one of five 2018 Our Manitoba Heroes for her dedication to taking care of her community.
“Ever since I was young, volunteerism was something that made me happy…and in my university years I was very active in my advocacy about women (rights), ecology and sustainable development and education,” she told The Times. “The Philippines is a fairly poor country, and often times it is hit by calamities, so I was very active in volunteering.”
The former IT manager moved to Canada six years ago and became highly involved with her community since then. She is the founder of 204 Neighbourhood Watch, created after residents raised concerns about safety in their neighbourhood, especially relating to the youth.
“Our children were being impacted, so we organized a group, and we meet to patrol every week,” Castro said. “At the end of each patrol, we meet to discuss what are our plans and the things we see.”
The frequency of their patrol depends on the volunteers’ availability, but Castro said it has not been a problem to gather people to help. Most recently they put on a donation drive for the those who have lost their homes and belongings during the Typhoon Mangkhut, a powerful typhoon that struck the island of Luzon in the Philippines on Sept. 15. They also spent several days looking for Eduardo Balaquit who went missing in June in the Amber Trails area.
“We put together enough numbers to safely patrol and regardless of the climate, we go out because we want to help. It has definitely brought the community together, and it is a multicultural community.”
Castro also helps the local Filipino immigrant community with a social media group where she shares helpful resources and connects people, and she also volunteers with the Filipino Journal, writing articles and inspiring stories.
“I felt surprised that I was nominated,” she commented. “Because it’s the whole community. Many of the volunteers sacrifice a lot to come out. They come right from work, and they set aside commitments to join me.”
“It’s really a beautiful community.”