A semi truck filled with donated items that left Chilliwack on Friday (July 2) was just the start of an ongoing donation drive for B.C. wildfire evacuees.
Three more semi trucks were in the parking lot of the former Sears store in Chilliwack at Cottonwood Centre Saturday and people can continue to donate throughout the weekend.
The first truck left Chilliwack on the morning of July 2 after being filled in just one day with clothing, food, and more. That truck went to the Shulus Community Arena in Merritt.
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An empty truck left the Cottonwood Centre parking lot shortly after noon on Saturday (July 3) to pick up items donated by the community of Aldergrove and the surrounding area. That truck is scheduled to head to Kamloops.
Two more trucks were being filled Saturday here in Chilliwack. One was being loaded with non-perishable food, animal food, clothing, and more which will head to Tuckkwiowhum Village first (a First Nations heritage site located five kilometres from Boston Bar) and then to Siska Nation near Calgary.
Into that truck went some of the 100 hand-sewn blankets made by a group of senior women from Abbotsford called Helping Hands.
Volunteer Christopher Raweater helps load a semi trailer during a donation drive for wildfire victims in the old Sears parking lot at Cottonwood Centre on Saturday, July 3, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
The other truck is being loaded with frozen and perishable food and will be “dispersed to wherever it is needed,” said one of the organizers Pauline Whipple.
They are still looking for donations. These are the most-needed items:
• frozen food
• grocery gift cards and gas gift cards
• cash
• cots, air mattresses and sleeping bags
• cat food (a lot of dog food has already been donated)
• pet shavings (bedding/litter for smaller animals)
• pet carriers
People can donate Saturday (July 3) until 8 p.m. and also Sunday (July 4) from noon to about 8 p.m. The trucks are located on the north side of Cottonwood Centre (overlooking Highway 1) in the old Sears parking lot.
Folks take part in a donation drive for wildfire victims in the old Sears parking lot at Cottonwood Centre on Saturday, July 3, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
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Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: jenna.hauck@theprogress.com
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