Local residents have offered 鈥渙verwhelming support鈥� to a new disaster relief initiative to support wildfire evacuees and front line workers that started earlier this month.
亚洲天堂 Lake residents Angelika Posselt and Charlie Rensby have been setting up a drop-off centres throughout northern B.C. to collect donations for 鈥楾he Postmen,鈥� a non-profit disaster relief group.
So far they have received over 1000 pounds of groceries and non-perishable items, 1000 pounds of salt blocks, 2000 pounds of grain, 400 pounds of chicken feed and 68,000 pounds of hay.
鈥淭his is what community is supposed to be,鈥� said Posselt. 鈥淭he response has been incredible so far.鈥�
Created by a group of good samaritans after the Fort McMurray wildfire in 2016, The Postmen now have depots set up throughout Alberta and B.C., with Kamloops being the main hub for donations in British Columbia.
Posselt had been volunteering for The Postmen鈥檚 Prince George depot before it closed earlier this summer. It closed because a depot was set up closer to the wildfires in Quesnel.
鈥淲hen the Prince George depot closed I went home,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was getting anxious to help because the situation was getting worse and worse. And then I thought, 鈥業鈥檒l just do it here.鈥欌��
Posselt joined forces with Rensby, who had already been gathering community donations and taking them to Prince George to support wildfire evacuees. Together, they set up a drop-off centre at P&B Feeds 鈥檔 Needs in 亚洲天堂 Lake and have been gathering the support of nearby communities.
Last week they went to Houston and Smithers, setting up drop-off centres in those municipalities and asking local business owners for their support.
鈥淲e went around town, talked to people, handed out information and talked to anybody who would listen,鈥� described Posselt. 鈥淲e鈥檙e now working on getting the same thing going in Terrace, Prince Rupert and Kitimat.鈥�
Posselt explained that The Postmen delivers donations to people 鈥渙utside of the norm.鈥�
鈥淭hey deliver donations to the people that have stayed behind to fight fires in their own communities such as the volunteer firefighters,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e try to cover anybody who is in need.鈥�
Posselt said she expects that their efforts will continue long after the wildlife season is over.
鈥淎 lot of people need help.鈥�
Items currently needed include pre-paid visa cards, fuel and gift cards, as well as non-perishable items. Cash, clothing and household items are not being accepted.
Donations can be dropped off Monday to Saturday at P&B Feeds 鈥檔 Needs, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To arrange pick-up donations, call or text Posselt at 250-692-6683.
