“Tom Sampson, chief of Calgary Emergency Management Agency, said he turned to Ribtor when he was leading Calgary EMS in sending support to the victims of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.
“We had the opportunity to send two big 40-foot containers to Asia,” said Sampson. “We had free shipping, we had everything lined up. And we ended up getting some money and we went into Ribtor.”
Sampson said they loaded up on items that people in an emergency situation might need — water filers, shovels — and that Lipkind was there every step of the way.
“It was a day’s entertainment to go in there,” said Sampson. “And it’s not often that you find places like that anymore. It’s a piece of history.””
