This is a quotation from the article “Slide victims frozen out of fund” published in the Nov. 3 Western News: “Those folks that donated to it from some of the fundraisers had to consciously make that decision that is what they were doing, putting it into an unmet needs committee,” said Dale Kronebusch, Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen emergency services supervisor who also sits on a committee that is overseeing funds raised in the community for mudslide victims that are in need.
What kind of bogus talk is that? I am positive that persons that donated for this horrible situation thought their good-hearted giving was for the immediate assistance of those slide victims for the basic essentials, i.e. bedding, towels, mattresses, etc.
The money raised by the fundraisers that is being held by the RDOS should have been released immediately after it was totalled. Why should another committee of our so-called governments play dictator as to when that money should be released? What is our society coming to when, as a community coming together to help, our local government decides when it might release the funds?
Ridiculous. By the time the governments of provincial and federal levels and the insurance companies get their acts together it will be years down the road before “unmet needs” (whatever that means) are released.
It’s simple mathematics. Money raised over a year ago divided by the affected five homes equals some form of assistance ASAP — not a year, two years, or whenever the government decides. Where has common sense gone?
Kelly Wheeler
Oliver