08/28/2026
UPDATE — August 28
Well… we finally got to go back in person.
A big thank you to the RDOS and our firefighters for making a short visit possible. Getting back onto the property, even briefly, was something we had been waiting for.
And wow…
My boat melted.
My composite deck turned to ash.
Even my concrete foundation decided it had enough and failed rather dramatically.
But apparently YETI cups are built different.
Kelly and I have been collecting YETIs for about 9 years, and somehow, after a wildfire, an entire roof collapsing on them, and basically everything around them being destroyed… some of these things are still recognizable.
They definitely don’t look as good as they used to, but somehow they’re barely even deformed.
The coolers, on the other hand…
Gone. Completely disappeared.
So today’s little game of wildfire Where’s Waldo?:
WHERE’S JOEL’S YETI COLLECTION?
How many YETI cups can you spot in the pictures?
Humour has been a pretty big part of my healing through all of this. My brother is a professional comedian in Toronto, so apparently sarcasm and questionable timing run in the family.
Now, back to business.
TOTAL LOSS FREE STORE — CURRENT NEEDS
A lot of families are now living in RVs, so we are especially looking for:
* RV toilet paper
* Black tank treatment
* Grey water odour treatment
* RV water filt
* Phone chargers and charging blocks
* Cleaning supplies
* Dishwasher detergent
*Thermos-Style Reusable Cups
As we move into Phase 2, we’re also working on creating a kids’ room where children can hang out and pass the time while their parents are using our meeting room or accessing other supports.
We’re hoping to set it up with a TV, gaming system, games and a few other activities, so if anyone has something they’d be willing to donate to help us build out this space, please reach out.
And for anyone looking for another way to help, our Community GoFundMe is helping fill the missing gaps for families as their needs continue to change:
https://gofund.me/0dd91a9ab
Every donation, every share and every item brought into the Free Store continues to make a difference.
Keep the momentum going.