We all know the North Okanagan is a great place to call home and that residents pull together.
And there was no better example of that than during the flooding that began Friday and continues to have ramifications today.
As the high tide began to roll in, emergency personnel from Lumby to North Westside and from Vernon to Enderby jumped into action — filling sandbags and developing strategies to hold back swollen creeks and rain. Emergency centres were quickly opened to ensure those who were evacuated or on alert had somewhere to go, or at least knew who to contact for information.
But beyond our firefighters and public works crews, residents rolled up their sleeves. Heart-warming photos are plastered across social media of entire families filling sandbags to help their neighbours. For those unable to physically handle shovelling and lifting, they made sandwiches and coffee, or simply provided a much needed smile or hug.
In Enderby, the wet weather compounded a broken water main and the city has been on the verge of running dry since Saturday. A challenge to conserve water drastically was issued and fully embraced by residents.
It’s often said that in this technological age that people are increasingly insular and not in tune with the world around them, but that certainly isn’t the case here in the North Okanagan.
Mother Nature is a challenging force, but the power of the people is far stronger.
