Though Penticton has only received a fraction of the nearly 40,000 displaced by wildfires in B.C., there has been little shortage of volunteers and offers of help.

Over 200 people have sought refuge in Penticton, most of whom are staying with family or friends, according to Emergency Social Services director Alida Erickson. She taught two classes for volunteers looking to help process paperwork for evacuees registering at the local evacuation reception centre this week.

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乌鸦传媒淚 had 40 people in the class last night We have another class for this evening, which is full,乌鸦传媒� Erickson said on Wednesday. 乌鸦传媒淚 think we乌鸦传媒檙e going to get some phenomenal volunteers out of the group. People were keen, they were understanding quickly. They were there because they wanted to be there.

乌鸦传媒淎nd we乌鸦传媒檝e had several people already from last night乌鸦传媒檚 class showing up for shifts today, so they乌鸦传媒檙e learning on the fly and it乌鸦传媒檚 wonderful.乌鸦传媒�

In , there's no shortage of volunteers or help for coming from -struck areas of the province.

乌鸦传媒� Dustin Godfrey (@dustinrgodfrey)

A volunteer named Claire said she had volunteered before, but had been asked to jump in, again, because of the high need in the current situation.

乌鸦传媒淚 volunteered because I like being involved in the community and they need a lot of people down here,乌鸦传媒� she said 乌鸦传媒淚 feel for people in this particular situation because they probably just lost everything, although they don乌鸦传媒檛 even know, actually, whether their house is still there.乌鸦传媒�

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While the two classes have come and gone, Erickson said those still interesting in volunteering with the evacuation centre may still have some opportunities.

乌鸦传媒淚f you乌鸦传媒檙e still interested in coming down to volunteer, you乌鸦传媒檙e welcome to come down to the reception centre and fill out a volunteer registration form,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚f things keep on developing, we will phone you when we set up another class, which will probably be next week.乌鸦传媒�

For Claire, there乌鸦传媒檚 little difference in volunteering for a local cause and one providing help to those who are coming from far off in the province. Erickson agreed, noting that it hasn乌鸦传媒檛 been difficult for many to put themselves in the shoes of evacuees coming to town.

乌鸦传媒淚 think the Fort McMurray fires last year really made people realize that that acould happen to anyone of us,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭hen when you hear of fires as close as the Kaleden fire was 乌鸦传媒� and we all have friends or family somewhere, and you think of them having to evacuate. 乌鸦传媒� It appeals to the good side of people.乌鸦传媒�

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Beyond volunteers, the ESS has been receiving offers of help of all kinds from various community members, from Starbucks coffee by the bucket to clothing donations.

乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 an awful lot of people who have come by and ask can we use anything, can they donate anything, are they able to help in any way,乌鸦传媒� she said, noting that there乌鸦传媒檚 even been a bit of an excess in some donations.

乌鸦传媒淪ome things we aren乌鸦传媒檛 able to take advantage of at the moment, regarding donated clothing and that sort of thing, because we have no place for storage.乌鸦传媒�

Among those offering their services, Time Flies Indoor Play operator Tricia Hernes is offering a space for evacuees with kids 10 and under to play and relieve a bit of stress.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e offering free indoor play for anybody who乌鸦传媒檚 been evacuated. Obviously, for kids it乌鸦传媒檚 a really hard situation for them to understand, and play is the best type of therapy for kids,乌鸦传媒� Hernes said.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e really looking to offer a home away from home, so any evacuees that are coming to the area from any of the fires nearby, they can come for a complimentary play and then they can stay as long as they want.乌鸦传媒�

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That乌鸦传媒檚 redeemable by bringing papers from an evacuation centre proving you乌鸦传媒檝e been registered as an evacuee.

And while it乌鸦传媒檚 still early days, Hernes said she乌鸦传媒檚 already heard from one family.

乌鸦传媒淲e just had our first call from a family that乌鸦传媒檚 been evacuated from Clearwater, so they乌鸦传媒檙e looking to come, get away with their kids,乌鸦传媒� Hernes said. 乌鸦传媒�(It乌鸦传媒檚 a) slow trickle, because I think Penticton乌鸦传媒檚 just starting to get the trickle of evacuees.乌鸦传媒�

While Erickson said the Fort McMurray fire last year was a reason some felt urged to volunteer, Hernes, too, said she got the idea, in part, from the massive Alberta blaze.

乌鸦传媒淨uite a few of the families (from Fort McMurray) were from here or had family here and were coming back here until they knew that they could go home,乌鸦传媒� she said.

乌鸦传媒淨uite a few of the families were coming in here, and this became a sort of home base for a lot of them.乌鸦传媒�

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dustin.godfrey@pentictonwesternnews.com
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