Cache Creek's "Wonder Women" feed & fuel firefighters
July 27, 2017
A group of Cache Creek women began feeding the Cache Creek Fire Department when the Elephant Hill fire broke out. Soon, though, the group of five women – dubbed the Wonder Women – were feeding ambulance and RCMP personnel, BC Wildfire staff and visiting fire departments, which were arriving in droves.
Initially, Cache Creek Husky and the local Tim Horton’s donated the food out of their restaurants, allowing the women to concentrate on feeding hungry crews. The Ashcroft Legion also helped fill the void until the Village of Cache Creek’s Chief Administrative Officer, Keir Gervais, found funding and brought in groceries from Kamloops.
Sue Peters is one of the five Wonder Women.
“I wasn’t alone in it,” says Peters. She credits the other four women for keeping the kitchen running after the first few days – Christine Elliot, Shelby Doerksen, Donna Brezina and the master of the kitchen, Geninne Fitzgerald. Peters, who is also owner of Cache Creek Husky, found she was needed to fuel up firefighting equipment, and was taking emergency calls 24 hours a day to get the vehicles filled and back to work.
“We met so many amazing men and women, from those fire departments”, said Peters. “They couldn’t believe that we could cook for so many people, and said it would never happen in the city.”
Now that Cache Creek residents have returned to the area, and Peters and staff have thoroughly cleaned everything in the business, she hopes that things will start to get back to normal. Highway 97 has just opened up to traffic, and summer is their busy season. “We are a strong little community, and we’re stronger than ever.” she says. “Come and visit – we need you more than ever.”
“Good news has continued this week with more businesses and communities returning home in the Williams Lake area and Highway 97 opening to traffic,” said, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association CEO, Amy Thacker. “I echo Sue and encourage visitors to come support our communities by visiting in person – they want to welcome you!” Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism operators remind all travellers that conditions continue to be hot and dry, requesting visitors remain diligent through the remainder of the summer season.
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism is seeking stories of our industry; if you have experienced an operator who has gone above and beyond please let us know.
Amy Thacker, CEO
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association
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Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association is an industry-led not-for-profit Destination Management Organization that works collaboratively with stakeholders to develop and promote a responsible tourism industry in the Cariboo, Chilcotin and Central Coast of British Columbia. For more information about the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast tourism region, please visit: www.landwithoutlimits.com
Media contacts:
Amy Thacker, CEO
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association
Andre Kuerbis, Board Chair
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association
Cell: 250-217-6438