Ladner residents have opened their hearts and homes to help evacuees displaced by the devastating wildfires in the Interior.
Blayne Birch and his fiancée Taylor Brown spearheaded an effort with family and friends last Saturday that resulted in a 26-foot trailer being filled to the brim with donated food and supplies.
The couple then drove to the fire zone Sunday morning to deliver the goods to the Interlakes Community Centre, which is now home to an emergency centre to help fire victims near 100 Mile House.
"When all the wildfires started we wanted to find ways to give back," said Brown. "Blayne's cousin Jeremy has 20 or so family members from 100 Mile staying at his home and we had a big dinner Friday night and started brainstorming. We came up with the idea of a food drive. We wanted to get the necessities. Stores are running out of basically everything, so the need is great."
After blitzing email contact lists, Facebook and Craigslist, the group set up a donation drop-off point on River Road West Saturday morning. Items quickly started pouring in.
Farmers also stepped with fresh produce, including Blake and Ryan Lundstrum from Lundstrum Farms, the Guichons from Felix Farms and Bobby Shoker from Shoker Farms.
The trailer was donated by Carly Plain and Fraser Farlow.
"We loaded up the trailer on Sunday and had a ton of cash donations, so we went to Costco and spent $700 on the stuff we didn't have and $300 filling up fuel in a tidy tank," said Brown. "It was a pretty crazy drive up there, but once we arrived, everyone was so thankful and appreciative. They couldn't believe how much we had."
Jeremy Birch said the fundraising efforts will continue.
"We are not done helping out," he said. "We want to do a fundraiser for all the logging crews who stayed in 100 Mile and literally helped save the town. I also want to give a big shout out to Ladner. Everyone really came through last weekend, the farmers and the fishermen of Ladner especially."
Anyone wishing to help out with the fundraiser or musical acts that would like to get involved can contact Birch at 604-726-2423.
The Corporation of Delta has also continued to offer its support.
Last week several staff members, along with Delta firefighters and Delta police officers, were deployed to various regions to assist in the emergency coordination efforts.
On Monday, Mayor Lois Jackson coordinated with staff to allow fire evacuees to park their RVs and campers in the parking lots at any Delta community centre.
Jackson said Delta is also ready to open up an emergency reception centre should the province ask.
Meanwhile, Delta MP Carla Qualtrough has been named chair of a committee helping coordinate federal efforts to those affected by the wildfires raging across the province.
