RCMP delivered nearly 1,300 pounds – or around 589 kilograms – of food to Jean Marie River on Thursday, as part of its annual initiative to help a community in Canada.
Jean Marie River was chosen this year because of the severe flooding it encountered in 2021, prompting an evacuation of the entire community. Recovery efforts are still ongoing.
Run by the RCMP’s national division in Ottawa, the “Adopt a Village” initiative raised close to $3,000 to buy non-perishable food items for the community to be distributed amongst residents.
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Corporal Dawn Metallic, an Ottawa RCMP member, led this year’s event and contacted leadership in Jean Marie River to determine what food was needed. A Valentine’s Day basket was also created for each household.
“It was a pleasure to lead this initiative so that the employees of national division could provide the community of Jean Marie River some relief after a tough year with the flooding,” Metallic is quoted as saying in a news release.
The food was flown from Ottawa to Fort Simpson, and then driven to the community by Metallic and Barry LaRocque, the officer in charge of NWT RCMP’s south district. It was left for the community to distribute the items as a safety precaution due to Covid-19.
“The community of Jean Marie River demonstrated great resilience this past year and for the RCMP to help out in this small way is fulfilling for us,” LaRocque said.
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