When Canadian folk rock musicians Rhindress asked us to livestream their Stomp & Step Wildfire Relief Fundraiser at OK Corral Cabaret in Kelowna, we were so excited to support the cause and donate our time to help broadcast the show on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
The 2023 McDougal Creek fire was the largest wildfire in West Kelowna history affecting over 10,000 residents who were forced to evacuate their homes and resulted in the destruction of 189 properties and over 340 homes − eclipsing the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park fire in Kelowna which consumed 239 homes.
More than 500 firefighters from municipalities across British Columbia and the U.S. battled the McDougal Creek blaze from the ground and air for over 3 weeks. Every trip to Kelowna reminds us of how lucky we have been be able to work out of our Westside Rd. shop which has been affected by three wildfires since we opened in 2019, including the White Rock Lake fire that got as close as 2km from the property.
Thanks to Jim and Kim Rhindress’s efforts and the support of the community the fundraiser brought in $21,885 to the Central Okanagan Foundation 2023 Wildfire Response Fund. We had a ton of fun behind the scenes supporting the live music and positive energy. Below are a few shots of the night.