They flew the United Way Estevan banner for a few hours and provided some much appreciated hot food for flood victims last Friday, before returning home that night.
Laura Bjarnason of the United Way Estevan, accompanied by her children Brianna, 12, and Kris, 10 were joined by Chris Lafonte of Newalta Corp., who gained access to his company's eight-burner barbecue grill, as they journeyed to nearby Gainsborough to provide some much needed relief for those who have been preparing and serving food to the 300 residents of that community. The Gainsborough residents have been filtering back to their waterlogged homes after being evacuated last week due to the rising flood waters caused by unprecedented rainfall.
"We served the food as United Way members, but did so at no cost to UW since all the food was donated by Estevan businesses," said Bjarnason, the UW's local administrator.
"We served over 200 burgers and 80 hot dogs plus salads."
Sandra Huish, who has been serving as Gainsborough's emergency food supply co-ordinator appreciated the brief break while the residents appreciated the opportunity to consume some hot food after going through a week of being served prepared sandwiches and other cold foods from a small 12-foot trailer that is working as their safe food supply outlet during the early recovery period.
"We used some back roads to get into Gainsborough. Because Chris has some oilpatch customers in this region, he knew some of the people and the roads," said Bjarnason. A temporary bridge installed that day provided access to a main highway by the time they disassembled their barbecue for the return trip.
"We served up food for about five hours," said Bjarnason, who had suffered flood-related damages to her own home in Stoughton a few years ago so understands exactly what the Gainsborough residents are going through.
"It becomes a matter of neighbours helping neighbours, and we're neighbours," she said.
Huish said the locals are slowly returning to a point where they can grab a shower, but most are now running out of clean clothes since there is nowhere to do laundry.
The Red Cross was on the scene to help alleviate some of those problems as the cleanup process began in earnest on the weekend.
Bjarnason said Huish and others delivered a heartfelt thanks on Friday because she and her volunteer crew were pretty exhausted working full days in getting and dispensing food and keeping it safe for consumption.
"I talked with her today (July 7), and she said they are now looking at how they can keep going with more family members coming into the town to help with the recovery. They will need more drinking water, and they're at that stage now where they're all wondering what they have to do next."
Bjarnason said it was obvious by looking at the Gainsborough homes that many of them would have had flood-waters running right through them, although none had been lifted off foundations or completely ruined. But the damages will be significant.
"Their local Co-op is starting to bring things in, but their equipment had been ruined," said Bjarnason.
The Estevan UW volunteers may move on to help some citizens in Alida next, or they might even be able to return to Gainsborough this week if the call for local support comes through.
"We're not asking for money. It would be food donations they need and what we want. If anyone can help on that front, give us a call at 306-634-7375," she said, noting that their rapid ad hoc appeal to local businesses proved very rewarding with a positive and quick response, so a second appeal might prove to be just as successful.
