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Flooded Abbotsford farmers show gratitude to volunteers with free lunch

Event planned as a way to thank community for help through the flooding and cleanup
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Members of a Chilliwack Minor Hockey Association U15 team participate in “Adopt a Farmers Field” day on March 12, 2022 where they helped clean up flood debris on a farm in the Sumas Prairie. (Submitted)

Hundreds of helpers showed up in the Sumas Prairie last November to lend farmers a hand during the flooding.

Now, farmers are showing their gratitude by hosting a free lunch.

Anyone who came out to help the affected farms in their time of need is welcome to attend the event. They’re putting the call out to everyone who was working as a first responder, who opened their homes, barns or fields to farmers and animals, who helped transport essential supplies to farms, and to those who sandbagged the farms and the Barrowtown Pump Station.

The lunch is also open to anyone who helped clean up after the water receded, or helped in any other way that supported farms and farmers.

In the days of the flooding and the months following, countless stories of community spirit and volunteerism have emerged from the flood-affected areas. A young Chilliwack hockey team has pitched in, farmers from other areas have come out to help, and neighbours have given to neighbours as the region recovers.

The free lunch takes place at Exhibition Park on April 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will also be plenty of opportunity to meet farmers from various agricultural groups.

The lunch is being presented jointly by BC Egg, BC Chicken, BC Turkey, BC Dairy and BC Hatching Eggs. While the event is free, you must register to participate by visiting Farmers Thanking the Community on ticketleader.ca.

READ MORE: Farmers stepping up to help flooded farmers across Eastern Fraser Valley


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jessica.peters@abbynews.com

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Jessica Peters

About the Author: Jessica Peters

I began my career in 1999, covering communities across the Fraser Valley ever since.
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