Thank-you. We say thank-you far too easily and mostly without meaning, but I am saying it with as much emphasis as I can to our community,to the people who have helped us and those who continue to help us get started again. On Wednesday July 14 at 7:42pm my cell phone rang to tell me our house was on fire, and right then our world changed forever. By 9:00pm we were left with no car, no truck, no house and two crippled businesses. These are very bad things but no-one was hurt. Our family is intact! We have many people to thank and I am sure I will miss a few, but these ones come to mind and need to be publicly praised.

Thank-you to The Cranbrook Fire Department. Your valiant efforts saved not only some of the remaining possessions, and our chickens, but the entire neighborhood from a much larger disaster. There easily could have been a dozen homeless families and a forest fire without your tireless professionalism. I know many of you personally and I know how hard it must be to not always win the fight.

Thank-you to our Neighbors and Friends. To everyone who has offered us help and taken on tasks to make things work, we are forever grateful. A special thank-you to the Weisbecker family who went to town to get us toothbrushes, pajamas and supper, and Keon Chung and family for bringing us necessities and love at midnight. The support in the community has been overwhelming.

Thank-you to Linda Lord of RCMP Victim Services. Your support that night will be forever etched in our minds. You took care of the details we could not even think of at the time.

Thank-you to Falkins Insurance and associates. Your instant attention and service is simply amazing. Your understanding and assistance has made our first few days bearable with your fast action on our behalf.

Thank-you to the Heritage Inn. You are our new home for the next while. You have made our family feel like family and as comfortable as anyone could be.

To Budget Car Rentals. Thank-you for getting us wheels when even you did not have any. That is the kind of service that wins loyalty.

Thank-you To Dan at Countryside homes in advance for getting us a temporary home set up in the next few weeks.

Thanks to Bill, Keon and James at Just Music, for taking care of business in my absence.

And a few apologies.

Sorry to all the folks who had bought tickets to the Country Music Festival. I just can't make it happen this year. We simply lost too much sound equipment that I can't replace in time.

Sorry to all the loyal clients of Paws & Claws Boarding & Grooming. We will be back but it is going to take some time to get re-organized.

Sorry to all the firemen my daughter Jasmine made cry with her big hugs and thank-yous. She will always remember that teddy bear that brightened the darkest night of her young life.

To anyone I missed, my deepest apologies. Please know that any kind gestures or words of comfort have not gone unfelt in a time of overwhelming emotion and heartache.

And to the anonymous donor who came into Just Music to give me a large donation and a hug, thank-you. You took the time to make the effort to try to help our family, without expectation of recognition or thanks, and we will pay it forward someday.

Thanks again to all.

Sincerely,

Lowell, Sandy, Jordan and Jasmine Threinen

Cranbrook