Fifteen temporary foreign workers from Mexico are living and working at ranches in the Cariboo Chilcotin.
On the Labour Day Weekend some of them gathered for a party at Cariboo Community Church in Williams Lake where they enjoyed a potluck meal and music from Mexico.
David Cazares, with Kamloops Immigration Services, and his wife Erica Peinado who volunteers, approached the church about hosting the party.
“We wanted to do something to make the workers feel at home because it is hard for them being so far away from their families,” David said.
Members of the church and local Latino community brought food.
Sisters Eloise Hobi and Lara Hobi from the Williams Lake area along with David Cazares Jr. from Kamloops performed several songs, dressed in traditional Mexican clothing.
After they’d finished performing, a few of the workers took a turn singing, much to the delight of the other foreign workers who clapped along.
The workers were from Gang Ranch, which was purchased by Douglas Lake Cattle Company in March 2022, Riske Creek Ranch and Alkali Lake Ranch, also owned by Douglas Lake.
Gang Ranch manager Larry Ramstad said it is the first year they have had migrant workers, while Alkali Lake Ranch, has had migrant workers for four years, said manager Mike Altwasser.
The foreign workers at Alkali Lake are Alcantara Hernandez, Rolando Arellano and Antonio Castro. Coutino Ruiz, Victor Alonso Cruz and David Reyes are at Riske Creek and Castro Arellano, Juan Carlos Cruz, Genaro Mancilla Reyes, Lazaro Omar, Meijaia Sanches, Isaias Ramirez, Omar Victor Sanchez, and Osvaldo Lopez are at Gang Ranch.
Another 13 foreign workers from Mexico are at Douglas Lake Ranch.
Erica said Kamloops Immigrant Services serves any foreign workers.
“If you have any people that you know that need support, please do let us know,” she said.
Cariboo Community Church member Ana Rawlek loves to connect people and invited people to attend the party.
Lorena Vergara and Rafael Benavides from Venezuela just moved to Horsefly two weeks before the party and were happy to join in as well as Carmen Menodoza, her husband Favio and daughter Megan, originally from Mexico.
Even though it was a long weekend and many people were out of town, Rawlek was happy with the turnout.
“I asked the church to let us use the facility for free of charge. Cariboo Community Church will donate the facilities free of charge for these kinds of events,” Rawlek said, noting the party was a great way to connect the foreign workers with the Latinos del Cariboo, she added.
“In this way if they come to town they know they are not alone and that we recognize their sacrifices and value their work.”