Caitlin Potts, Ashley Simpson, Deanna Wertz and Nicole Bell still remain silent, but as long the search for the four missing women continues, Jody Leon says they still have a voice — a voice she and the other members of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Drone Search Team (MMIW) will continue to provide until those women are found.
Leon said the team is currently recruiting new members in anticipation of a large-scale search the team is planning to launch in mid July.
“We’ve been in communication with four of the five families and some of them are coming out here to help
the rcmp
Five women were reported missing in the rural area near Silver Creek since 2016: Potts, 27; Simpson, 32; Wertz, 46; Bell, 31; and Traci Genereaux, 18. Human remains found at a Silver Creek property in November were confirmed to be those of Genereaux.
Disturbed by The search team, founded by Leon and and Wendy Mohr is looking for clothing, footprints, disturbed soil, evidence of human activity or anything that seems out of the ordinary. If they find anything or collect any images of interest, they alert local RCMP.
and some of the other volunteer team members took a brief respite over the winter months,
says they are looking for volunteers to join what is expected to be a large search this summer.
As the weather improves, organizers of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Drone Search Team (MMIW) say they are looking for volunteers to join what is expected to be a large search this summer.
Founded in Enderby by a group of residents who wanted to continue the RCMP’s search for missing women in the area, the MMIW Drone Search Team is helmed by Jody Leon and Wendy Mohr.
The team launched last fall after concern began to mount when five women, Caitlin Potts, Deanna Wertz, Ashley Simpson and Nicole Bell went missing from Vernon, Salmon Arm, Sicamous and Enderby in a short period of time. To date, only one woman has been located — Traci Genereaux, whose remains were confirmed discovered at a Silver Creek farm on Oct. 21.
Wendy Mohr, vice-president of the search team said, with the search season about to pick up, the non-profit group is looking to increase their manpower and their arsenal.
To do this, families of the missing women and the MMIW Drone Search Team are holding a fundraiser at the Splatsin Centre in Enderby from noon to 6 p.m. on April 28.
According to Mohr and Leon, all funds raised will go towards the purchase of more technically advanced drones, as well as supplies needed to go out on searches, including gas, food, water, surveyors tape, markers, drone batteries, cell phone data and flashlights.
For more information, or to volunteer as a team member or to help with the fundraiser, contact the MMIW president Jody Leon at 250-306-1240 or vice president Wendy Mohr at 250-804-9752.
Erin Christie
Morning Star Staff
@VernonNewserin.christie@vernonmorningstar.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
