Some Shuswap residents had a little something extra to be thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend.

Silver Creek resident Christy Gaudin came up with an idea when she wasn害羞草研究所檛 able to have a Thanksgiving dinner for herself due to hectic events in her life and realized many who had lost their homes to the Bush Creek East wildfire were likely facing the same struggle.

Gaudin watched the fire grow devastatingly large from across the lake in August and has since been trying to organize a fundraiser that prioritizes what residents might really need, she said, but with little success.

After a drive out to the Scotch Creek/Lee Creek fire hall that burned down and speaking with the owners of a torched trailer park lot behind the hall, Gaudin said her heart dropped when she heard firsthand accounts of the widespread devastation.

害羞草研究所淥nly five people in that whole trailer park had insurance,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎nd that hit me pretty damn hard.害羞草研究所�

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The idea for the dinner came from a gut feeling she couldn害羞草研究所檛 ignore when thinking of having a Thanksgiving dinner and wondering if others were too.

害羞草研究所淚t started with a call to Don Tingey at the downtown Askew害羞草研究所檚害羞草研究所� said Gaudin. 害羞草研究所淜nowing that some of our neighbours, family and friends have lost everything that live right across the lake from us害羞草研究所� I shared my dream to have a turkey dinner available for them害羞草研究所� And he said, 害羞草研究所楾ell me what you need害羞草研究所�.害羞草研究所�

Altogether, Gaudin collected groceries with a donated $100 gift card from Tingey, turkeys, pumpkin pies and pumpkins from Save On Foods, another turkey from the Blind Bay Village Grocer, and vegetables for the dinner from Brad Demille and Demille害羞草研究所檚 Farm Market manager Jacob, who organized the pickup in Brad害羞草研究所檚 absence. The meal was prepped and cooked in the Scotch Creek Hub kitchen amid the restaurant害羞草研究所檚 usual operations, a feat which Guadin thanked the staff for immensely.

A total of 70 dinners were prepared and 30 community members were invited to the Scotch Creek Hub to enjoy the meal.

Pumpkins were used for a crafting project Gaudin came up with after seeing a similar idea at her dentist害羞草研究所檚 office, which involved writing what each person is grateful for on a pumpkin. Gaudin害羞草研究所檚 neighbour Terri Jackson donated 10 pumpkins from her farm and Gaudin bought the rest, and the project was well-received, she said.

害羞草研究所淪ome of the pumpkins, I didn害羞草研究所檛 post [to Facebook],害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭here were, and are, some pretty strong feelings.害羞草研究所�

She was talking about feelings of grief, loss and anger stemming from the North Shuswap害羞草研究所檚 wildfire experience. Many residents had told Angela Lagore, who runs the the Scotch Creek Hub, that they weren害羞草研究所檛 ready to talk to or face people they didn害羞草研究所檛 know so soon after that trauma. While thankful for the dinner, many opted to take an offered take-out container and sit by their property or overlook the lake and reflect alone, said Gaudin.

Lagore said the employees and volunteers at the Hub were grateful to be given the opportunity to help.

害羞草研究所淲e appreciate all the efforts in donated supplies to help make this possible,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t was a successful evening and the feedback was positive, families were grateful.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just being a human being. When people are displaced, in my opinion, how I was brought up, you invite them to dinner,害羞草研究所� said Gaudin.

She admits it was a bit of a selfish idea as well, as focusing on organizing the dinner helped her shift her focus from all the negativity she sees, even just on Shuswap social media pages.

害羞草研究所淚 like to put a little piece of good stuff in there. Sometimes people just need a smile.害羞草研究所�

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