Salvation Army gathering donations to build Christmas hampers for Merritt evacuees

KAMLOOPS — The Salvation Army’s Kamloops branch has set up an avenue for people to support Merritt evacuees and flood victims.

Major Kelly Fifield says donations made through a link on the branch’s website will be directed to those suffering as a result of this week’s catastrophic flood.

“We have met people who know that their house was flooded — they saw the water before they ever left,” Fifield told CFJC Today. We have talked to people who said, ‘I think my house is flooded but I don’t know.’ And, because of technology, we have people who have security systems who could actually go in and watch the water rise within their house.”

At the same time, the organization has an eye toward the calendar, and what is usually a time of preparation for the gift-giving season.

“We are going to be reaching out to families in Merritt and putting out that we will be doing Christmas hampers specifically for victims of these floods, those who have been evacuated from their homes in the town of Merritt,” said Fifield.

“There are people struggling with, ‘What am I going to do today?’ We don’t want the struggle of Christmas to be on their shoulders as well — we want to remove that,” she added. “We’re going to do whatever we can to make sure their families are provided for this Christmas season.”

To donate or to get more information, follow this link.