Locals are pulling together to help those that have been evacuated from their homes because of wildfires in BC.
Keremeos Pharmasave put a call out for donations last week to help those in the neighbouring community Princeton. About 350 have been displaced as evacuations orders have been issued for many homes north of Princeton. At this point it’s unknown how many homes have been lost to the fire that is now 60 per cent contained.
“We wanted to do something to help. People in this community have been so great. They’ve given so much,” Nora Crete, one of the organizers of the donation rally said.
Pharmasave put the call out late last week for items including gatorade/coconut water, blankets, paper towel, non-perishable items, first aid kits, hygiene items, baby products, protein shakes, and nutritional supplements.
By Monday a truck load full of items had been donated. Pharmasave donated items and many people in the community also made donations.
“It’s been great. People really responded to it,” Crete said.
At this point Crete is now looking for a place to give the donated items.
As of Tuesday early afternoon the Princeton evacuation centre was not in need of supplies for evacuees as they had received several transports full from Fort McMurray residents who were burned out of their homes during last year’s fire season. They had also received donations from many businesses and residents in Princeton.
With the evacuation order coming earlier this week for Williams Lake from a fire burning in that region it’s likely many evacuees will make their way to Penticton and perhaps Keremeos.
The Keremeos Elks have opened the rodeo grounds to evacuees needing a place to stay. There are showers, bathrooms and water hookups for those that have trailers.
“We will definitely find somewhere for what’s been donated to go but right now we’re just asking if anyone wants to donate that they give money and we will pass that on that to Red Cross,” she said.
“We want to have these items here if we do receive a large amount of evacuees or take them to Penticton to help people there. We want to get these things to the people that need them but that might take a bit of time as this goes on.”
Anyone wanting to donate is advised to go to Pharmasave and ask first before bringing their items to the store.
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