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West Kelowna family needs winter gear, winter tires after fire takes everything

The Lacey family is staying hopeful with the prospects of a good snowboard season
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The Laceysa国际传媒檚 property following the McDougall Creek wildfire. (Facebook/Caroline H Gravelle)

A West Kelowna family is finding themselves desperate heading into the colder weather after losing everything to the McDougall Creek fire.

Patrick Lacey and his family have been able to find a place to live, but the house is old and cold with only electric heat.

sa国际传媒淎rea rugs would be amazing,sa国际传媒 Lacey said about items the family needs.

The family was just weeks away from completing their new home in West Kelowna when evacuation orders came down.

After losing nearly everything, the family was hoping for some semblance of normal over the winter using their camping trailer to house them near ski hills. That hope came crashing down when the wood stove inside the trailer was stolen.

Fortunately for the family, theysa国际传媒檝e had some help.

sa国际传媒淲e have sourced a full-size wood stove locally, but are waiting to hear back from Cubic Mini Woodstoves on the possibility of a donation of a new Cub mini stove to replace the stolen one from our truck camper and our second one that burnt in the trailer,sa国际传媒 Lacey said. sa国际传媒淭he wood stove is a crucial part of our snowboarding in the winter. We would love to get the kids up to Big White too if Michael J. [Ballingall] is feeling generous.sa国际传媒

The Laceysa国际传媒檚 are currently in need of winter gear for their kids who evacuated with mostly summer clothing.

Winter tires are also going to be a challenge. Lacey said their truck is being looked over by Kelowna Chevrolet and the winter tires for their other vehicle burned in the fire.

The family is hoping to rebuild on the property if itsa国际传媒檚 feasible. sa国际传媒淥ur concerns besides obviously lack of funding are our neighbourhood is gone, and if we do rebuild will we be able to get insurance for the build and also for wildfire coverage? I have been working non-stop for the last four years coming back from the last fire only to have the finish line in sight and have everything wiped out in an instant, the prospect of repeating the build and possibly losing it again is more than discouraging.sa国际传媒

Lacey said their love for each other and the prospect of a good snowboard season are keeping the family looking ahead.

The has just surpassed its goal of $30,000, but the family continues to ask for donations to get them back on their feet.

READ MORE: Wildfire takes home, thieves take hope for West Kelowna family



Brittany Webster

About the Author: Brittany Webster

I am a video journalist based in Kelowna and capturing life in the Okanagan
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