A united response
You never know who your neighbour in need might be, or when you might become a neighbour in need yourself.
When wildfires in Alberta forced the evacuation of the town of Jasper and area of Jasper National Park, two United Ways, one in Alberta and the other in BC, joined hands in support.
With routes too dangerous to traverse, evacuees were directed through British Columbia on their way to evacuation sites in Calgary and Grande Prairie. Around 300 of those evacuees arrived in Kamloops the night of July 23rd.
A welcoming smile
In a remarkable display of solidarity, the community came together to set up a rest stop to welcome evacuees as they travelled through the province on their journey to safety. United Way BC partnered with the Kamloops Food Policy Council and United Way of Alberta Capital Region to feed hungry and tired evacuees at a local arena.
A rest stop along their journey
As Kristi Rintoul, Director of Community and Investment for United Way British Columbia describes, “There were about 4-5 buses arriving at the rest stop, as well as people driving their cars. Most of them were tourists or visitors to Jasper who had arrived by train or plane so had no way to escape.”
It comes as no surprise that after a 5+ hours trek, evacuees were hungry. Thanks to United Way Alberta Capital Region, United Way BC was able to provide pizzas from a local pizzeria. The Kamloops Food Policy Council were also on hand with coffee, fruit and veggies trays, buns, and sweets. “We made sure to also send everyone back on the bus with bags of fruit, granola bars, and water bottles,” says Kristi.
Kristi continues, “They were so grateful and kind. The mood was somber, yet no one was upset. I was chatting with one family from Barbados who had never been in a hockey arena before and were impressed. We joked that they could add that experience to their trip to Canada.”
The power of compassion
Despite the circumstances, the impromptu rest stop in Kamloops is a reminder of the power of compassion and partnerships. United, they were able to bring some relief and a moment of respite to those fleeing wildfires.
You never know who your neighbour in need might be, or when you might become a neighbour in need yourself. Whether they hail from another province or across the world, the person in front of you deserves a neighbourly welcome and a helping hand.
Special thanks to community organizations & business who donated food: Sarah’s Your Independent Grocer, Safeway Fortune, Save On Foods Lansdowne, Freshco Kamloops, Swelaps Market, Red Tomato Pies Downtown, and Starbucks Coffee Lansdowne.