Skip to content

Friends helping friends

In recognition of Lupus Awareness Month, a group of people got together to help out their friends last weekend in Chilliwack.
43196chilliwackfriendshelpingfriends1.0526
Janet Klassen uses a weed whacker to trim her friend's overgrown backyard on First Avenue on Saturday afternoon.

They pulled weeds, cleaned the roof, trimmed trees, cut the grass, and installed trim on the inside of a house on First Avenue in Chilliwack on Saturday.

It may have been a small group, but the dedicated workers were there to help friends Kelley and Kelsey Bjarnason on the weekend with yard work and small home repairs after the Bjarnasons were both physically, and suddenly, unable to work about 15 months ago.

At the beginning of 2011, Kelley had surgery and got pregnant, and Kelsey was diagnosed with lupus — all within a few months. They now have a six-month-old daughter.

In a desperate attempt to get work done around the home, and to spread the word that May is lupus awareness month, the Bjarnason put a callout to friends asking for some helping hands on the weekend in exchange for a home-cooked meal.

Friends from Burnaby, Mission and Ruskin responded and spent the weekend helping the Bjarnasons.



Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
Read more