Mission residents came together to help support those impacted by the tragic fire in Lytton.
Donations began to flood into the Tourism Mission Visitor Information Centre (34033 Lougheed Hwy.) on Thursday (July 1) after the call was put out on social media asking for help for the fire victims.
Clare Seeley, manager of Tourism and Communications for the City of Mission, said they heard about the evacuations on Wednesday night and the Fraser Valley group of tourism partners – Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope, Harrison Hot Springs and Mission – came together to see what they could do to help.
The groups posted a request for donations and the respective communities answered the call.
“It’s been crazy it really has. It’s been overwhelming but so phenomenal, the way everybody pulled together. It’s been outstanding,” said Seeley.
She opened up the Mission Visitor Centre for a four hour period, expecting to collect items to fill up a car, but the response was much bigger.
In a short period of time, the centre was full of donations and volunteers who arrived to help sort and transport the items.
“The whole community just came together.”
In the end about seven trucks, a trailers and 4-5 car loads were sent to Hope.
Seeley said people were donating clothes, toiletries, non-perishable food items and pet supplies.
From Hope, the donations were taken to Boston Bar to be distributed to evacuees.
According to Seeley, none of this would have happened without the efforts of Shannon Jones, executive director at AdvantageHOPE, who coordinated the project.
“She did an amazing job.”
Donations for the victims of the Lytton fire are still being collected, but organizers are now requesting cash and gift cards as the distribution centre is now full.
MORE: Fleeing the flames in Lytton
