As Chilliwack heads into its first heat wave of the season, the team that patrols the downtown area is looking for donations of bottled water.
“As is usual, we at Griffin Security are now conducting our annual water drive,” Brian Goldstone said. “Last year we received and handed out over 60,000 bottles of water.”
Like last year, the water will be handed out not just to people living on the streets and the elderly, but to anyone.
“It’s for absolutely everyone,” Goldstone confirmed.
He said they had “great support” last year.
Because of the significant donations, they have some bottled water left over which is now aboard their trucks.
Temperatures are expected to get hot starting Friday (June 24). According to Environment Canada, it’s supposed to be a high of 26 degrees on Friday, 28 on Saturday, 31 on Sunday and 30 on Monday.
Goldstone said people can simply flag down one of their trucks and they will hand people water.
Last year, they stopped people on the streets to hand them a bottle of water. They found the elderly were not prepared for it. People were pushing a walker and they’d fall over, Goldstone said.
“We don’t want these older people dying of heat exhaustion.”
Anyone wanting to donate bottled water can drop cases off at the Griffin Security office at 9300 Nowell St., or call 604-703-0888 (24 hours) and one of their patrol vehicles will come and pick up. Folks can even call Griffin from a grocery store after buying their donation instead of hauling it away themselves.
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