Volunteer appreciation evening planned in Oliver

PENTICTON – The Town of Oliver is preparing to show its appreciation to the many volunteers who worked tirelessly to manage emergency efforts last weekend during the worst of the Wilsons Mountain and Testalinden Creek fires.

An appreciation event is planned for Thursday, August 20, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Oliver Community Park. Emergency Support Service Coordinator Janette Van Vianen says, “Without our firefighters’ hard work Friday night, we would have been in a lot of trouble,” adding flames came within feet of some residences.

Oliver and Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen Area “D” have the opportunity to publicly thank the volunteers from Oliver, Willowbrook, Osoyoos, the Okanagan Falls Volunteer Fire Department, Oliver Search and Rescue, Penticton Search and Rescue, B.C. Forest Wildfire Management and the many Emergency Support Service personnel from Penticton, Summerland, and Oliver who operated the Fire Reception Centre.

All are welcome to show their appreciation and participate in the festivities, which includes a special appreciation dinner for emergency service crews. There will be live entertainment from the Kettle Valley Brakemen, courtesy of the Oliver Community Arts Council and the regular evening market will be operating.

Bouncy castles, a card-making station and face painting activities will be available for the kids.

For more information contact the Oliver Community Centre at 250-488-4985.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.