Editor:
We would like to express our extreme gratitude to the following people and/or companies who have assisted our community and our neighbours with donations of supplies, money and especially their time.
The people from Fort MacMurray who arrived with many trucks and trailers of supplies. You already knew exactly what we would need; then you asked “What else?” and you sent that, too!
We were, and still are, overwhelmed with emotion and words are not enough.
Marty Frost, from Western Canadian Powerstrokes, who organized most of the donations and arranged the deliveries to us. Stephanie Klaamas on Marty Frost’s team.
Jason Klapstein for the purchase and delivery of a much needed Wajax pump. He took the time on his way to his wedding to max out his personal credit cards ($6,000) to do this for us!
Enbridge for emergency kits, first aid kits and phone chargers.
Fort McKay First Nations for the donation of hundreds of personal incidental bags.
Jeremy, Alex and Matt who were delivery drivers from Fort Mac and stayed to disperse supplies to the Legion, other fire departments and crews as well helping us wherever they could, including on the fire lines.
Jay and Tia Woodner who were co-ordinators doing a similar job to Marty Frost, raising funds and distributing goods, to us as well as the center at Forest Grove.
Colton McMann for fuel deliveries. One of the first to arrive.
Naseem Abdo and Bushra Irfan and the Muslin Community who organized a fundraiser to be able to send us goods and supplies.
Jo-Anne Raylene Garnett who held a 50/50 draw which raised nearly $700 for us and is still working on another fundraiser.
Lynne Fulton who let us borrow and sell the decal design she created for her own fundraiser.
Logan Piesse who brought supplies, transported animals and hay and gave away free gas to those in need. Thanks to his employer who gave him the time off to assist us.
The two guys who drove all night from Edmonton with a truckload of bottled water for us and then headed to Williams Lake with a tidy tank of diesel to give away.
Drivers from Calgary who brought supplies.
Rod from Prince George who went to a surplus store and purchased 67 lengths of fire hose with a box of several new fittings, with his own funds, and delivered them to us.
The replacement medical supplies for our ambulance. Thanks guys, you know who you are.
Leslie McKellar, a retired Vancouver police officer, who used her pension money to rent a cube van to personally deliver the following items she purchased: a pump, boots and T-shirts.
Volunteers that helped us with the sorting of supplies and donations as they arrived and those who helped us make deliveries to other departments and communities.
Jan Borgen for her donation of so many baked goods. Not just for us, but she also put out a table at the store for evacuees passing through.
Rob Swaan for his donation of food and use of his premises for our crew to have a place to rest and replenish.
A special thanks to Anna and her crew for all the time and hard work with the incredible food (lunches and dinners) that they put together for us on such short notice during those first few hectic days.
Volunteers who organized and helped make sandwiches at the hall for our lunches.
Volunteers who donated and cooked dinners and all the assistants who put it all together and cleaned up afterwards; there are too many to list here (because the whole community helped) and I don’t want to forget anyone.
Lunches were very much looked forward to when out on the fires and dinners were fabulous.
We couldn’t be out there doing our jobs without this kind of support!
All the people of our community, who were not regular members of our team, that turned out to assist in whatever way they could.
All the people of our community who took the time to check on and assist their neighbours.
All the people of the community who kept watch for fires in our area and kept us up to date with changing conditions.
Community members who offered the use of personal generators, pumps, sprinklers, hoses, tools, vehicles, etc.
RL7 for the use of multiple pieces of equipment.
Calvin Black for a tidy tank of fuel and hoses.
Frank, owner of F.D.K. Trucking for the use of the tank trucks, pumps and hose, along with Shane and other drivers.
The McLeese Lake Recreation Commission. We would not have been able to co-ordinate the donations and deliveries without the hall and the assistance of the Rec Commission Team. We are very grateful we had this space to gather at the end of each difficult day.
Gibraltar Mines who offered resources, water totes and gave us as much fuel as we could use.
The RCMP officers and military for helping to maintain order and keep everyone, and their properties, safe.
Despite their difficult assignment, they maintained their composure (and sense of humour) and were supportive of and co-operative with our department.
The RCMP officers, Tribal Police Officers, Conservation Officers, Sheriffs, Search & Rescue Teams and SPCA liasons who helped us deliver supplies (food, medical supplies, incidentals, fire equipment and pet supplies) to areas that we were otherwise unable to access.
You were all very kind and understanding in trying circumstances for everyone.
All the people from outside our community who offered us emotional support via social media.
All the volunteer fire departments and fire crews across the Cariboo Chilcotin, along with departments from around B.C. who worked tirelessly to save so many homes and in some cases whole communities.
More recently we have received donations from the following:
Ken from Minute Muffler in Quesnel – $600 in equipment & $400 cash.
Dean Allen of Brushstrokes Art & Design (proceeds from the Party in the Park) – $669.
Metis Association – $660 to be shared between MLVFD and Wildwood VFD.
Donna Walker – $600.
Maj Sutherland – $600.
Anonymous – $200 & $2000.
Sharon Zirk & the Oasis Campground – $400.
Cariboo Strong Campaign - $2500 & stickers to sell.
Kim and Wayne Pashak for holding a 50/50 fundraiser (won it and then donated it back), and along with donations from friends and co-workers, totaled $3000.
Claude Aumond for $500 to our building fund.
Lee Crowley for $3000 to our building fund.
Heather Rankin for all her summer’s bottle money.
Darlene and Don Herrett for $200+.
Bonnie Woodworth for a portion of the proceeds of handcrafted spider sales.
Jazmyn Douillard who created a “Thank you” event in Williams Lake, raising $262 + $100 personal donation. Moe Margetts for her $300 winnings from Jazmyn’s event.
The Kaufman family for $900.
Bruce Lennox, one of our directors has made a donation of $200 and has placed a challenge to other community members to meet or beat this.
We also recently received many other donations of cash and supplies.
Our apologies if we have forgotten anyone else from the above lists. Please know that your donations were so appreciated.
We are all brought to tears at the outpouring of concern and support for our immediate community, as well as all of the other affected communities throughout the Cariboo and the rest of B.C.
Thank you all so much !!!!!!!!
McLeese Lake Volunteer
Fire Department