As the waters rose in Hope and the rest of the Fraser Canyon on Sunday, people were becoming stranded and looking for places to stay.
One of the places they called was the bed and breakfast owned by Graham Zillwood, an idyllic spot nestled in cedar trees.
But he knew it wouldn’t make sense to take people in, as the Coquihalla River runs right by his property, in the Othello area. And the river was quickly rising as the atmospheric river hung over Hope. So, he turned them away and hoped the best for them.
By Monday, his home was gone.
Now, the community is gathering around him with a fundraiser to help him get back on his feet. An event is planned for Sunday afternoon at the Kingpin Lounge, beginning at 2 p.m.
“During the floods here in Hope B.C. last week, Graham unfortunately watched his home, property and livelihood get swept down the Coquihalla River,” the event states on Facebook.
They are hosting a live and silent auction and have more than $3,000 worth of items to be auctioned off. The live auction starts at 2:15 p.m. and the silent auction will end at 3:30 p.m. They are serving a lunch of chili, a bun and veggies for $10, with all money going directly to Zillwood.
Covid protocols will be in place, so any guests must bring proof of vaccination.
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jessica.peters@hopestandard.com
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