As the crisis unfolded in Fort McMurray, Sault Ste. Marie resident, Sue Lowen, sprang into action, as evacuees fled their fire ravaged community for safety. Sue is a member of Berta Boys/Berta Babes (BB) –a truck group full of people that love their trucks and more so, love helping others in need. Sue’s son, Myles, is also a member of the group and a resident in Edmonton, Alberta. When Joe and other members of BB heard of Fort McMurray’s need they “loaded up their own vehicles, filled the slip tanks in the back of their trucks, grabbed cases of water and food and headed up the highway to lend a hand. A few days later Sue learned that her sister in Lac Ste. Anne County was put on evacuation notice.
“I couldn’t sit by and not do anything for our friends. You never know the full extent of a disaster until you see it first hand,” shared Sue.
Sue hit Facebook and announced that she would be collecting donation to send to evacuees. Within three hours the responses on her personal page exploded. “So I formed the Facebook group ‘Sault Ste. Marie Strong-Helping Fort Mac Evacuees’. We grew like a wildfire for lack of a better word.”
In just two days the Sault community overwhelmed volunteers –a collection of Sue’s friends, with heaps of donations and generosity. “I never thought to count the donators or the volunteers. I can say none of this would be this successful without either. I didn’t think I would get much response but I guess it does show that the saying ‘you either know someone, knew someone or just plain know of Fort Mac’, is true.”
Receiving donations from the Sault came easy. In fact so easy and so generous, that it has created a bit of an obstacle -how to get all of these supplies to where they need to go?
At the onset of Sue’s good deed she anticipated that she would require only her truck and perhaps a trailer to deliver the donated items to Alberta. However, there was such a magnificent amount gathered by Sault Ste. Marie and donations aren’t slowing down- which is great, that there is need for a company or a bunch of individuals to step up to get these goods where they need to go.
“The hardest challenge has been the logistical side. Trucking companies may volunteer to take a shipment but there are many issues that play into it. Trucking companies always have a donation budget so one way isn’t a hardship- they can write that off. But the problem is finding a shipment to bring back for pay. There’s wear and tear on the truck and trailer, insurance, wages, meals and sometimes accommodations for the driver and of course the biggie-fuel,” explained Sue.
“The other issue,” elaborated Sue, “is they must remain within the law. The require provincial/federal licensing and have to follow the Ministry of Transportation regulations.” Sue has contacted several transportation outfits and was turned down a few times. There is also the challenge of donation requests having to be vetted through the organization’s donation committee.
The bottom line?
“We need a truck, a 5 ton or a tractor and trailer, a driver and fuel –should an individual step up rather than a company,” laid out Sue.
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Can you help? Contact Sue at 705.206.4088
Thank you to Sue, all the volunteers and to the Sault community for coming together! You’ve made us all very proud!
