When a West Kelowna mom and teacher couldn害羞草研究所檛 find a climate protest to join she decided to start her own.
Bobbi Vojtko faced threat from the McDougall Creek wildfire and was evacuated with her family for more than a week.
After returning home, Vojtko decided it was time to make her voice heard and in collaboration with the Okanagan Climate Hub hosted a climate march on Sept. 17.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e spoken to a lot of people and most people are ready to have that conversation,害羞草研究所� Vojtko said. 害羞草研究所淓ven if it just gets [the conversation] started and triggered in my own immediate community of my friends and family then I think I害羞草研究所檝e won.害羞草研究所�
Dozens of people gathered outside Kelowna City Hall with handmade signs reading 害羞草研究所楽ave our planet害羞草研究所�, 害羞草研究所楥onserve what our children deserve害羞草研究所�, 害羞草研究所業 want you to act like your house is on fire because it is害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檝e been doing this s*** since the 70s害羞草研究所�.
Black Press asked Vojtko if she was aware of the new wildfire west of Peachland that was being listed as a wildfire of note while people started to gather. She called it disappointing, but has faith in our firefighters to protect the communities.
害羞草研究所淲e have solidarity in numbers,害羞草研究所� Vojtko said to the crowd. 害羞草研究所淟et害羞草研究所檚 let our leaders know that Kelowna and the Okanagan want to see more action and more change.害羞草研究所�
Damien Gagnon joined the march. He said he害羞草研究所檚 been involved in climate activism for the past several years.
害羞草研究所淥ur government is willing to acknowledge climate change and the man-made consequences of it, but they害羞草研究所檙e unwilling to do anything about it. I genuinely believed害羞草研究所� when Lytton burnt to the ground that that would be the catalyst for change from the government, I thought that would serve as a wake up call but it didn害羞草研究所檛. And now this year more towns have burned as we害羞草研究所檝e seen in the Northwest Territories.害羞草研究所�
Gagnon echoed Vojtko害羞草研究所檚 statement of power in numbers, noting the importance of gathering and networking to push for mass change.
The group gathered at noon and left from city hall just before 1 p.m. to march toward Harvey Ave. up to Richter Street and back to the municipal building.
A group of climate change deniers attended the protest. Kelowna RCMP were on hand to maintain the peace.
READ MORE: Evacuation alerts, orders come down for fire west of Peachland
brittany.webster@blackpress.ca
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