Dear friends, family, colleagues and community,

We are coworkers with Melody Willis. We may be on the other side of Canada and across the US for others, and we are deeply concerned by what has happened in Summerland, BC and to Melody and her family.

Melody is the kindest person who surrounds herself with dogs and horses – her two passions in life. She and her niece Tianna Bowthorpe had only a few minutes to pack and leave while the wildfire was rapidly progressing towards their property. Unfortunately, they had no time to take their horses with them, so they freed them and they ran away, while Melody and Tianna left in a hurry.

Fortunately, Melody, Tianna and their dogs found safety nearby. But their condition is still precarious. They lost everything – their house, their belongings and the barn. Furthermore, after 3 days, only 3 horses out of 5 were found.

Your generous donations will go directly toward helping Melody, her niece Tianna, their dogs and horses find safety, comfort and stability in the coming weeks, and months. As you can imagine insurance claims could potentially take years to resolve. Raised funds will be used for their immediate necessities, interim housing & living expenses, and animal care.

No contribution is too small. Any amount you can give, no matter how small, will make a difference as Melody has to rebuild her life. If you are unable to donate financially, you can still support her by sharing this link with your network, your community groups, and on social media.

Thank you for your kindness, thoughts, and generosity during this heartbreaking time.

Adelaida Santacoloma and Stéphane Bourgeois.