Volunteers from across Canada have been moving to Montelake, British Columbia since the spring. To help a family who lost their home in last year's massive White Rock Lake wildfires.
This effort is being coordinated by Mennonite Disaster Services.
This charity is building his four homes for victims of the North Okanagan fire. Three are in Monte Lake and one is near Vernon.
READ MORE: White Rock Lake Wildfire Victims Expensive to Reconnect to Water Utility
Volunteer construction workers are making new homes possible for people who thought they couldn't rebuild.
For Montelake resident Dustin Eager, seeing his family's new home under construction is a little surreal.
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After losing my home last summer, my insurance only partially covered it, so I decided to try to rebuild it. I didn't see it.
READ MORE: BC Wildfires: Lake Monte Residents Return to Devastation
Eager said: Without Mennonite Disaster Services, the family of five would not have been able to stay in Lake Monte.
"We probably would have had to sell and move somewhere we could afford, because now, given all the costs, we couldn't do it otherwise," says Eager. I was.
Volunteer project coordinator John Sawatsky said the charity, which regularly rebuilds homes for people affected by natural disasters in the United States and Canada, has responded to requests from local communities. said he participated in
Residents in need of help applied for reconstruction assistance.
"We are looking for real needs...and they don't have the ability to recover on their own. I work for people who don't, so I have no way to raise money to rebuild their homes," Sawatzky said.
Property owners contribute as much as they can and skilled craftsmen are hired to do the more technical work, but all basic construction and finishing is sourced from other parts of Canada. , conducted by hundreds of volunteers, sometimes from Canada. USA to help.
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"It's just a pleasure to work and help here. Hope is returning to people's lives." "Watching is reward enough for me. I look forward to the day I can see them move into their new homes," Sawatsky said. READ MORE: 'Doing it all ourselves': Monte Lake residents feel abandoned by White Rock Lake fire
Eager family is also looking forward to it.
The father of three says that just watching the rebuilding brings stability to them.
``They are very excited. We already knew, we were already planning," said Eager.
The plan is to complete construction by the end of October.
Returning home this winter means a lot to Eager's family after he's been in temporary living for over a year.
"It's going to be the best Christmas ever," said Eager, wiping away his tears.
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The project is still looking for volunteers to join. For more information, please visit theMennonite Disaster Services website.
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