When disasters happen in small towns, the entire community rallies together to provide support.

Here in the Kootenays, it’s quite common to see fundraisers spring up to support individuals and families who fall on tough times. We take care of each other.

So, earlier this month, when the city of Grand Forks was hit by the worst flood on record and hundreds of people were forced to evacuate their homes and businesses, the rest of the Kootenay region was there to lend a hand. An army of volunteers from across the region got to work filling sandbags. Businesses donated supplies. Families offered rooms in their homes.

A Go Fund Me page was started to provide immediate financial assistance to evacuees. Many employers continued to pay their staff, despite their businesses being closed. Because that’s what you do in a small town. Donations will be used to provide relief for local small businesses and individuals that were directly impacted by the flood.

Now that the flood waters have subsided and the evacuation orders have been lifted, national aid organizations like Red Cross have stepped in to help get everything back to normal. It will be a huge undertaking to restore homes and businesses that sustained substantial flood damage. But Grand Forks will be rebuilt. The community will make sure of it.