You’ll find two stories in the Terrace Standard this week involving Terrace Search and Rescue. And we’re happy to say the organization isn’t making news for the usual reasons.
On July 10, TSAR member Dwayne Sheppard, who also serves as the City of Terrace’s bylaw officer, organized a mission to retrieve two shopping carts from the Skeena River near Ferry Island. The action was taken during a training session on the water after Sheppard noted the carts pose a potential foot entrapment for swimmers (regardless of how infrequent swimmers are spotted in the area).
In another event, TSAR vice president Dave Jephson took the seat at MacCarthy General Motors dunk tank for a mid-day ice bath. MacCarthy regularly hosts fundraising events and on this day chose TSAR as the beneficiary of proceeds from a barbecue co-hosted by Mr. Mikes. Proceeds of the hamburger sales ($1,470) were given to Jephson upon the successful dunk, but then MacCarthy went one step further and surprised the sopped vice president with an in-kind donation of $15,000.
This was followed by a garage and bake sale hosted by Western Financial and the King of the Mountain Run, which regularly donates to TSAR who provides safety services during the event.
To host a world-class Search and Rescue organization, you need a world-class headquarters. From large corporate donations to individual contributions of a few bucks over the years, the community’s call to action toward the new TSAR headquarters has been far an above the usual call of duty.
Next month, a fleet of five semi-trailers will roll into Terrace with prefabricated building sections that will form the structure of the new headquarters, allowing the community to see what their generosity is building.
But we’re not done yet.
To date, TSAR has spent $370,655. About $320,000 in the bank will allow the organization to pay for the prefabricated structures upon arrival, while an additional $200,000 in donations is expected to come in soon.
To finish the project, with windows, garage doors, desks, fixtures and other interior necessities, at least $500,000 will need to be found.
So although TSAR isn’t making news under the auspice of tragedy this week, the community knows all too well they will again. If we can find it within ourselves to give just a little more, for a little longer, we can give the men and women of this stellar organization the best chance of a happy ending for their next story.
