Canada is experiencing its worst fire season on record.

So many communities are currently being devastated by wildfires but the Okanagan has been one of the most severely affected in BC. Fires in West Kelowna have charred homes, a town of 36,000, with more than 33,000 residents across the Okanagan region being displaced.

As the first community to welcome me with open arms when I arrived in Canada back in 2019, the thought of what Okanagan residents are currently going through is heartbreaking - lost homes and properties, uncertainty about what the future holds. I hope to repay their kindness and generosity in their time of need by raising funds for the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank, a crucial organisation providing direct emergency relief to those who have been displaced.

If you have ever had to utilise a community's food bank services, you know just how important these organisations are during normal life in providing for those who are in need yet alone in times of emergency. Please help us limit the stress these individuals and families are currently experiencing as a result of the wildfires by making sure they don't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.

All donations will be distributed directly to the food bank through gofundme on September 15.

If the target goal is achieved, as a small gesture to honour those who are currently going through immense hardship and suffering - I pledge to shave my hair which I began growing in Kelowna 4 years ago.

I hope you will join me in giving, as every dollar counts - no donation is too small, even $5 helps us help those who need it most.

I hope the next update I provide is that I will be shaving my head.

Thank you for your support - whether that's donating, sharing, or helping in other ways not relating to this fundraiser.

Disston

Photo credit: Mike Biden