A group of friends from Brentwood Bay will be driving three trailers and their trucks up to Kamloops today (Fri., July 14), delivering supplies from generous Islanders to victims of the interior wildfires.
It’s the first time the five friends have done something like this and already they are finding a lot of support in for the form of donations and even the time off from their respective jobs to make the supply run.
Cody Daku put out a post on Facebook earlier this week, stating they were going to drive to the interior, adding a list of needed supplies for people displaced by wildfire evacuations. Almost immediately, more friends agreed to help and donations started coming in. on Wednesday, they were setting up at the Keating Cross Road Peninsula Co-op in Central Saanich to collect more donations.
“We wanted to go last year,” Daku said, adding tings just didn’t work out. This time, however, their employers readily gave each of them time off work to make the drive.
“If this was happening to me, I’d want other people to help like this,” added Andrew Dayton.
“It’s the same for everyone here,” said Jeremy Newton. If we were in that situation, we’d want people to help.”
“We’re Canadian,” added Jayde Haire, by way of explanation.
The group gathered in North Saanich Tuesday night to make some needed fix-ups to their trucks in order to be safe during the long drive to Kamloops. That’s where there’s a distribution centre for people affected by the hundreds of wildfires burning in B.C. right now. In a relatively short period of time, they’ve collected donations from various local businesses and individuals, and are confident they’ll be able to fill the trailers and the backs of their trucks.
What’s needed includes baby supplies like diapers, water, feminine hygene products, pet food and other pet supplies and more. They’ve even secured a large open deck trailer on which they will haul hay bales for displaced livestock.
Daku added fuel and oil is also needed, so they bringing with them two tanks, able to hold 1,5000 litres of fuel. He said they are working with BC Ferries to accommodate their volunteer convoy Friday morning. They will also make a pair of stops in Abbotsford and Chilliwack to pick up additional donations, co-ordinated through With Love, Victoria.
Once in Kamloops, Daku said they’ll deliver the goods to the distribution centre. The plan is to return to Vancouver Island Sunday, but he said they’ll play it by ear, and see if their help is needed to get the supplies to people elsewhere.
