The team at Sutton—Showplace Realty originally set a goal to raise $1,000 with their British Columbia Wildfire Evacuees BBQ Fundraiser over the summer.
They hit that amount, and more, serving 144 hot dogs in three hours and raising $1,285 for the Red Cross to assist victims of the wildfires that continue to plague the province. To date, the fires have consumed a record-breaking 8,944 square kilometres.
“One lady stopped by our table and it turned out she was a resident of Williams Lake (an area devastated by fire),” said Amber Siemens, the office’s receptionist. “She told us her family has a farm up there and when a neighbouring town received evacuation orders, they took in someone else’s horses. Once the evacuation order was issued for Williams Lake, they had to transport them all to another safe zone. The problem was that they only had a two-horse trailer and seven horses to move.
“She spent hours making multiple trips to relocate the horses. It is wonderful to see how people pull together. This woman and her family are staying at her mother’s house in Chilliwack until it’s safe to return home. When I offered her a free hot dog combo, she declined and instead handed us a donation. It was so amazing.”
Siemens said she was proud of the generosity shown by fellow British Columbians and her own office, who donated time and money to the worthy cause.
The barbeque was just one of the many ways that Sutton—Showplace Realty contributes to the community. In recent years, they have held bowl-a-thons for Big Brothers Big Sisters, shown their support for anti-bullying and participated in the REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive.
This story was adapted – with permission – from one originally featured on the Sutton Spirit website. The Sutton Spirit program recognizes Sutton associates across Canada that improve and enhance the lives of the people around them.
