Two Campbell River women – who were strangers before Tuesday afternoon – are working together with a few local businesses to take donations out to the B.C. wildfire victims.
“I have strong family connections up North and I needed to do something,” said Amanda Tyre.
Tyre has been running around since Monday asking for donations and setting up both a truck and a trailer on loan.
It was a post that appeared on social media that alerted Campbell River’s Jody Hagel to what Tyre was up to and she decided to help.
A post on her Facebook page asking friends for donations got a quick response from Karen Parker at Campbell River Toyota.
Her boss was on board in providing a truck for Tyre to loan as well as being a drop off location for donations.
From there it snowballed, Tyre said.
Campbell River business 3G Roofing has agreed to donate a trailer and the team has arranged to be in Spirit Square on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to collect donations from the community.
Tyre said she and her dad are planning on leaving for the mainland on Tuesday evening, hopefully to Chilliwack, but if not they will be taking the supplies to Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops where an emergency reception centre is set up.
The duo are collecting supplies for fire evacuees including water and granola bars, or other food that is easy to hand out and doesn’t necessarily need to be cooked, clothes, shoes and toiletries such as tooth brushes, baby wipes and feminine hygiene products.
They are also accepting money and gift card donations.