Shannon Wiley is overwhelmed — but in a good way.
Wiley, along with partner Tyler Cody, was one of the key organizers of Sunday’s African relief sale at the Christian Fellowship Centre in Qualicum Beach.
The response from the community to their appeal for starving people in the Horn of Africa, she said, was heartwarming and gratifying.
“It was absolutely awesome,” she said. “We haven’t finished counting the change yet, but so far we have well over $27,000, so with all the matching from World Vision, the Canadian Good Grains Bank and the Canadian government, we could be totalling as much as $70,000.”
While much of the money came from the yard sale tables, Wiley noted that $7,900 came from the donation box at the entrance to the event.
“I am so proud of our community,” she said. “I can’t believe the support and the love that came in. One woman came in and said she is a waitress from the Legion and she saved up all her tips this week and dropped it in the box. You can’t ask for more than that.”
The strong response, she said, has inspired her to consider future events of a similar nature.
“We are just overwhelmed today,” she said, “and we are ready to do more.”