A Langley couple, who run AKA Pets, are hosting a fundraiser on Sunday, July 7 to help out a young High River, Alberta family who lost everything in the flood.
Annie Smith spent seven years living in Calgary before returning to Langley. She still has many family and friends there.
When the floods hit, she started to call around and found out about a family friend who is living in High River with his wife, two young daughters and two cats. The family had to evacuate their home with only the clothes on their back. The water came up so fast, they could only leave out their back door.
The home they own isn’t covered under insurance and they also lost their car and personal mementos.
“As far as we have heard, mom and youngest daughter, who is four, were at home while the eldest daughter, 8, was at school. Husband Kevin was volunteering at the community centre packing sandbags when the flash flood hit their home,” said Smith.
The family was separated as the mother and the girls made their way to the first evacuation centre and Kevin was stuck at the community centre where he was eventually lifted out by a tractor to safety, she said.
After finding each other, they were transported to another evacuation centre, which was then evacuated again, she said. They found their way to a suburb of Calgary (Hillhurst) to stay with family, but they were again evacuated a short time after.
They are now staying with another family member.
Annie wanted to help them out in anyway she could. She called the Red Cross, but then she came to the conclusion that helping them out with cash or grocery cards would be more direct and helpful.
The results of the donations will be a surprise for the family, she said.
“It brings me to tears thinking of all what these families are going through,” she said.
On July 7, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. people are encouraged to come by AKA Pets dog training facility at 8905 240 Street and donate cash, grocery or shopping gift cards that could be used in Alberta, or bring bottles and cans for donation. All funds raised will go to this family.
