REALTORS® Respond to B.C. Disaster
CANADA – On the first day of the REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive, British Columbians were being inundated with an “atmospheric river” of rain. Homes and farms were flooded and sections of highways were wiped out by water and landslides. High winds and as much as 150mm of rain battered some communities. Several lives were lost and people remain missing. Responding to this crisis, the annual blanket drive has shifted to urgent disaster relief.
REALTORS® in the Lower Mainland are helping to distribute essential supplies across the province. They have gathered food, toiletries and warm clothing for deliveries to charities and directly to those affected by the storms.
As calls for evacuations poured in from Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Hope, the public and sales associates participated in a caravan to help those in need. Before making return trips to rescue more evacuees, drivers filled their vehicles with supplies for those still stranded.
Some communities are entirely cut off due to severe highway damage. Jeremy Prasad, owner of Turbolyft, opened his helicopter hangar at the Pitt Meadows Airport as a drop-off point and started coordinating deliveries with helicopter companies and private fliers.
The REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive Facebook page (www.facebook.com/BlanketDrive/) has become a vital communication hub to coordinate relief efforts. Their work will continue to be needed considering that meteorologists are predicting more heavy rains in the coming days.
The blanket drive has officially been extended until November 29th so that REALTORS® can continue to coordinate their efforts and raise money for the Canadian Red Cross.
“In times of crisis, we must adapt. We’ve decided to direct financial donations raised during this year’s REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive to support British Columbians affected by the recent floods and landslides,” reads the organization’s campaign website.
“The money we raise will go to the Canadian Red Cross’s British Columbia Floods and Extreme Weather Appeal. This money will support the Red Cross’s relief, recovery, resiliency and risk reduction activities in the affected areas at both the individual and community levels.”
Photo by Matthew Klysko, washout on Sweetwater Road, north of Dawson Creek.
Sutton is a 100% Canadian-owned and operated company with more than 6,500 REALTORS® in over 200 offices nationwide. To find out more about Sutton, visit www.sutton.com. To learn more about Sutton Spirit, visit www.suttonspirit.com.
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Sutton Group Realty Services Ltd. Contact:
Brooke Matthews
604-691-1689
stories@suttonspirit.com