Massive floods have devastated the British Columbia province in Canada, with rains destroying roads and isolating several towns in the region. People have been left stranded and strapped for resources like medicines, food supplies, and other essential resources. While emergency services are working their best, citizens too stepped up to help out in their own way. In the town of Hope, 160 kilometers east of Vancouver, food was starting to run low. Sikh volunteers spent all night preparing and delivering 3,000 meals to people stranded in Hope during the floods. Take a look:
Dozens of volunteers at Surrey's Dukh Nivaran Sahib Gurdwara cooked more than 3000 meals for those stranded in Hope. They're paying for private helicopters to deliver meals (roti, cooked carrots, fruit) Wed AM - and will try for more trips in the coming days @CityNewsVAN#BCStormpic.twitter.com/TpGjqDqIto— Tarnjit Kaur Parmar (@Tarnjitkparmar) November 17, 2021
(Also Read: Sikh Charities Provide Hot Meals To Stranded UK Truck Drivers)
"About 100 volunteers at the Dukh Nivaran Sahib Gurdwara Sikh temple in Surrey spent all night Tuesday preparing about 3,000 meals and then hired helicopters to deliver the food to Hope," said the temple's president, Narinder Singh Walia, to Reuters. Pictures of the volunteers in action surfaced on Twitter preparing meals with foods such as Roti, cooked carrots, and fruit. The Sikh volunteers are paying for private helicopters to drop off the food items to the people stranded in the floods in Canada.
One of the volunteers, Amarjit Dhadwar, is a former truck driver himself. He told CityNews that his friends called him telling him about being stuck - so he and volunteers jumped into action. "It's in our blood. The Punjabi and Sikh community is always ready to help others." The volunteers are accepting donations and say that further help is on the way. Dhadwar asks the people stranded to be brave and stay strong till more help arrives. "We will do other things next, donuts, bread, and other supplies prepared for the next delivery," he adds.
Twitter users showered praise for the incredible help by the Sikh volunteers from the Surrey Gurudwara. Several asked how they could donate online to support their initiative. Others thanked the volunteers for their efforts during such testing times. Take a look at the reactions here:
This made me shed a tear this morning!! Whipping up a 3000+ person meal is wild.
I'm reminded of how The Akali Singh Sikh Society's free dinners at the temple in Burnaby literally saved me from starving when I moved to Vancouver w no money at age 20 ???????? https://t.co/KhawM8qvBa— the real catherine (@_kittydee) November 17, 2021
Is there a way to donate to the gurdwara to support their efforts?— Rev. Kadee Wirick Smedley (@kadeewsmedley) November 17, 2021
This is why I've always loved the Sikh and Punjab communities, they understand what community means and are always willingly supporting those who need it regardless of their faith/creed/culture. They even paid for private helicopters to fly the food in Well Done ????????????— Jimmy Jimbob Jimmerson The 8th (@technicalStev) November 17, 2021
The Sikh community in Kamloops are awesome. They do an annual blood drive every November and come out in huge numbers. I am not sure about this year now with road closures to get the blood to Vancouver but if necessary I'm confident they will reschedule the event.— Sue Today (@SuePBC65) November 17, 2021
Thank you!!! We just got some food delivered to our car and it was very much appreciated. Fruit and vegetables have been the hardest things to find and it was so nice to have a homemade meal.#BCStorm— amanda miller (@amander55) November 17, 2021
We'd all be poorer for it if the Sikh community wasn't here with us.— Gabriel Bauman ???????? (@GabrielBauman) November 17, 2021
What a awesome thing to do. As I and hundreds of others are stranded here in Hope, we are forever grateful. ????— Paul Anthony (@hotrodex401) November 17, 2021
Never, ever have I ever doubted the generosity of the Sikh and Punjab communities. They are some of the nicest people I have ever met and dealt with and they don't care what your background is.
If you need help, they will jump into action. Well done, indeed.— Your New Superfriend (me/myself/I) (@YSuperfriend) November 17, 2021
What did you think of the efforts by the Sikh volunteers? Tell us in the comments below.