Maiden Of The Mountain
Donation protected
What we are fundraising for is the ongoing $950 per month for one year of the trailer pad rental fees for an extraordinary God loving couple that just need the smallest of breaks to get back on their feet again.
Thank you for taking the time to read and learn about this amazing lady...a legend the locals call "The Maiden Of The Mountain".
Madeline , "The Maiden Of The Mountain", lives with her husband Zoltan high atop the freezing cold mountain ranges of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada in an old trailer covered in tarps to keep out the snow and freezing rain.
Incredibly it is just parked on the side of the very dangerous mountain trail road WITH NO ELECTRICITY OR RUNNING WATER. She doesn't have a working vehicle and hikes 6 hours through the dark, waist high mountain snow often stalked by coyotes, into town to lug up water and sparse food supplies.
Their living conditions are unbearable yet this extraordinary lady has the most optimistic and joyful personality and simply says 'God will provide'. I met her as she was stumbling down the mountain passing by my property which is half way up the mountain but no where near as high as where they live.
I had no idea what was up the treacherous dirt mountain road and I have never dared to venture up there as the rumours of massive mountain lions and bears are enough to keep me near civilization. I heard my dog barking and I was startled to see someone coming out of the forest in waist high snow. I went out to greet her and she smiled and introduced herself as my not so close neighbour and asked could I give her a ride into town so she could attend church - this was a 6 hour hike down and back on Sunday to attend church (I barely make it to church a few times a year and I have a Jeep that gets me there in 25 minutes!).
During the ride I listened to her story, which she did not tell in any way that would make you feel sorry for her...quite the opposite...she was very cheerful about the fact that she had a place to stay in up the mountain and didn't mention anything else about it...I assumed she lived in a nice cabin or house.
A couple of days later she called me on her cell (I learned later to be her only luxury as she needs it to try and get house cleaning jobs and stay in touch with her 2 clients to earn enough money for food and water) and asked me for a ride from the local store that she hiked hours to get to through the freezing Canadian winter snowy conditions.
I picked her up and attacked the mountain road that I had never dared venture up...and barely made it through snow drifts that were higher than my Jeep's fenders...until I finally arrived at her 'home'.
I couldn't believe my eyes...it was a tarped old trailer with no heat, water, electricity...nothing to keep them alive in the winter nights and their tarps were collapsing from the heavy snow soaking everything they owned.
And yet...she and her husband were so polite and grateful for my help and they offered to make me dinner! I thought how on earth do such people with so little offer me dinner?? Their gracious manners and generosity compel one to do something...anything to help.
I enlisted the help of my mum and my good friend Korey Gaspari, who with his brother Greg, own Elite Auto and we got together and bought food, lots of water and propane and managed to get it all the way up the snowy and dangerous mountain roads to them so they wouldn't freeze and starve.
But this was clearly only a temporary fix...we had to do more. They have no shower, running water, electricity, toilet...everything we take for granted without so much as giving it much thought. But to them, these things dominate every moment of their daily lives...especially as the temperature is well below freezing and there are no lights up on the mountain...just pitch blackness.
In an act of extraordinary generosity, Elite Auto has offered to get Madeline's old vehicle operational which would allow her to get into town instead of having to endure these very dangerous 6 hour hikes. Thank you Elite Auto!
But that isn't the end of Elite Auto's generosity. You see, Elite had just got a 27" fifth wheel trailer on trade-in at their dealership for $5,000 and had just listed it for $10,000. Well, Korey and his family said let's get the $5,000 together and buy this for them at his cost (and his family actually contributed $1,000 towards the $5,000!) and between my mum and the most generous human I know, Howard Bafford from Idaho, we bought them this beautiful new/used trailer and on CHRISTMAS EVE WE ARE MOVING THEM INTO A TRAILER PARK WITH ALL THE AMENITIES!:)))
But the generosity of local business owners has grown even more. I contacted Sean Swift, owner of Swift Dentistry in Kelowna, and he immediately donated a full blown dental package including cleanings and fillings to both Madeline and Zoltan! Again, something that many of us take for granted but to them it is a true blessing. Thank you Sean!
Dave Pfuetzner, owner of Align West Homes who is known for his work with 100 Heroes charity, bought badly needed winter clothes for the family after he heard about Madeline's epic mountain hikes into town. Thank you Dave!
It is so incredible when you see local businesses like Elite Auto, Swift Dentistry, Align West Homes and generous donors going way above and beyond what anyone could ever ask to help out perfect strangers. Simply Incredible!
Now please know that despite having no money or functional place to live until now, Madeline and Zoltan are by no means a charity case. They are constantly seeking work to keep things going but it has been very difficult without a car and no power to charge her cracked up cell phone (she can only charge it once a week in town when she can manage to hike in). It is very important you understand that because these are extremely proud, hard working and honest people that suffered the worst tragedy of all...losing their child. Despite trying everything they could to survive, they simply slipped through the cracks as it is so easy to do in these increasingly difficult times. Unfortunately this happens every minute of every day somewhere in the world and every once and a while, we are blessed enough to be able to do something about it.
Madeline is an excellent cook (she worked many years as a chef) and an amazing cleaning lady as well! Her husband, Zoltan, has spend many years working construction and is a concrete pouring specialist so if you have work for them, you couldn't find more honest, hard working and talented people to hire.
I know times are difficult for so many people these days...money is hard to find and our own costs for living has gone up dramatically. It is, therefore, with the utmost of respect and humility that we ask that you spare whatever you can to be a part of this true Christmas Miracle and be a huge part of getting The Maiden Of The Mountain back on her feet again.
Funds will be withdrawn into my account and paid directly to the trailer park manager every month to cover ongoing pad monthly rental fees. The only exception is for a one time repair bill to the donated SUV of $1,400 (which I am paying directly to the repair shop to ensure it is road worthy and approximately $1,000 for a year's worth of car insurance which I will pay directly to the insurance rep for them to make sure they are covered once they are driving for work.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to learn about these incredible people, God Bless You...and Merry, Merry Christmas everyone!
Thank you for taking the time to read and learn about this amazing lady...a legend the locals call "The Maiden Of The Mountain".
Madeline , "The Maiden Of The Mountain", lives with her husband Zoltan high atop the freezing cold mountain ranges of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada in an old trailer covered in tarps to keep out the snow and freezing rain.
Incredibly it is just parked on the side of the very dangerous mountain trail road WITH NO ELECTRICITY OR RUNNING WATER. She doesn't have a working vehicle and hikes 6 hours through the dark, waist high mountain snow often stalked by coyotes, into town to lug up water and sparse food supplies.
Their living conditions are unbearable yet this extraordinary lady has the most optimistic and joyful personality and simply says 'God will provide'. I met her as she was stumbling down the mountain passing by my property which is half way up the mountain but no where near as high as where they live.
I had no idea what was up the treacherous dirt mountain road and I have never dared to venture up there as the rumours of massive mountain lions and bears are enough to keep me near civilization. I heard my dog barking and I was startled to see someone coming out of the forest in waist high snow. I went out to greet her and she smiled and introduced herself as my not so close neighbour and asked could I give her a ride into town so she could attend church - this was a 6 hour hike down and back on Sunday to attend church (I barely make it to church a few times a year and I have a Jeep that gets me there in 25 minutes!).
During the ride I listened to her story, which she did not tell in any way that would make you feel sorry for her...quite the opposite...she was very cheerful about the fact that she had a place to stay in up the mountain and didn't mention anything else about it...I assumed she lived in a nice cabin or house.
A couple of days later she called me on her cell (I learned later to be her only luxury as she needs it to try and get house cleaning jobs and stay in touch with her 2 clients to earn enough money for food and water) and asked me for a ride from the local store that she hiked hours to get to through the freezing Canadian winter snowy conditions.
I picked her up and attacked the mountain road that I had never dared venture up...and barely made it through snow drifts that were higher than my Jeep's fenders...until I finally arrived at her 'home'.
I couldn't believe my eyes...it was a tarped old trailer with no heat, water, electricity...nothing to keep them alive in the winter nights and their tarps were collapsing from the heavy snow soaking everything they owned.
And yet...she and her husband were so polite and grateful for my help and they offered to make me dinner! I thought how on earth do such people with so little offer me dinner?? Their gracious manners and generosity compel one to do something...anything to help.
I enlisted the help of my mum and my good friend Korey Gaspari, who with his brother Greg, own Elite Auto and we got together and bought food, lots of water and propane and managed to get it all the way up the snowy and dangerous mountain roads to them so they wouldn't freeze and starve.
But this was clearly only a temporary fix...we had to do more. They have no shower, running water, electricity, toilet...everything we take for granted without so much as giving it much thought. But to them, these things dominate every moment of their daily lives...especially as the temperature is well below freezing and there are no lights up on the mountain...just pitch blackness.
In an act of extraordinary generosity, Elite Auto has offered to get Madeline's old vehicle operational which would allow her to get into town instead of having to endure these very dangerous 6 hour hikes. Thank you Elite Auto!
But that isn't the end of Elite Auto's generosity. You see, Elite had just got a 27" fifth wheel trailer on trade-in at their dealership for $5,000 and had just listed it for $10,000. Well, Korey and his family said let's get the $5,000 together and buy this for them at his cost (and his family actually contributed $1,000 towards the $5,000!) and between my mum and the most generous human I know, Howard Bafford from Idaho, we bought them this beautiful new/used trailer and on CHRISTMAS EVE WE ARE MOVING THEM INTO A TRAILER PARK WITH ALL THE AMENITIES!:)))
But the generosity of local business owners has grown even more. I contacted Sean Swift, owner of Swift Dentistry in Kelowna, and he immediately donated a full blown dental package including cleanings and fillings to both Madeline and Zoltan! Again, something that many of us take for granted but to them it is a true blessing. Thank you Sean!
Dave Pfuetzner, owner of Align West Homes who is known for his work with 100 Heroes charity, bought badly needed winter clothes for the family after he heard about Madeline's epic mountain hikes into town. Thank you Dave!
It is so incredible when you see local businesses like Elite Auto, Swift Dentistry, Align West Homes and generous donors going way above and beyond what anyone could ever ask to help out perfect strangers. Simply Incredible!
Now please know that despite having no money or functional place to live until now, Madeline and Zoltan are by no means a charity case. They are constantly seeking work to keep things going but it has been very difficult without a car and no power to charge her cracked up cell phone (she can only charge it once a week in town when she can manage to hike in). It is very important you understand that because these are extremely proud, hard working and honest people that suffered the worst tragedy of all...losing their child. Despite trying everything they could to survive, they simply slipped through the cracks as it is so easy to do in these increasingly difficult times. Unfortunately this happens every minute of every day somewhere in the world and every once and a while, we are blessed enough to be able to do something about it.
Madeline is an excellent cook (she worked many years as a chef) and an amazing cleaning lady as well! Her husband, Zoltan, has spend many years working construction and is a concrete pouring specialist so if you have work for them, you couldn't find more honest, hard working and talented people to hire.
I know times are difficult for so many people these days...money is hard to find and our own costs for living has gone up dramatically. It is, therefore, with the utmost of respect and humility that we ask that you spare whatever you can to be a part of this true Christmas Miracle and be a huge part of getting The Maiden Of The Mountain back on her feet again.
Funds will be withdrawn into my account and paid directly to the trailer park manager every month to cover ongoing pad monthly rental fees. The only exception is for a one time repair bill to the donated SUV of $1,400 (which I am paying directly to the repair shop to ensure it is road worthy and approximately $1,000 for a year's worth of car insurance which I will pay directly to the insurance rep for them to make sure they are covered once they are driving for work.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to learn about these incredible people, God Bless You...and Merry, Merry Christmas everyone!
Organizer
rory millikin
Organizer
Kelowna, BC
