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While it’s not the relaxing vacation the Penticton couple had planned, but Paul and Destee Klyne’s humanitarian efforts over the past week have been far more rewarding.
The husband and wife originally booked a week-long stay at a spa in Paradise, California before the entire town was burned to the ground by the deadly Camp Fire.
“Our original AirBnB was incinerated, then the hotel we booked in the next town over was booked out for evacuees,” explained Paul Klyne, from a Walmart parking lot in Chico, California.
“We decided it was important to help out, so with the funds we had allocated for pampering ourselves we bought gift certificates to hand out and headed to the Walmart parking lot in Chico.”
Packed with hundreds of evacuees sleeping in tents and cars in temperatures close to zero, the Walmart parking lot has become a refuge for those who lost everything in the fires.
Upon arrival, Paul and Destee began working with a food truck, serving up to 1500 meals daily, while handing out gift cards to be used at Walmart and offering emotional support where they can.
“We're preparing food from donated items, like yesterday we made breakfast sandwiches and pulled pork quesadillas. It’s very emotional, these people have nowhere to go, after they eat they sit around and tell their stories for hours.”
The couple has heard several harrowing stories of people escaping the fires, as well as stories of those who tragically lost loved ones in the disaster.
“A man named Charlie, they wouldn’t let him past the fire lines because the blaze was too strong and his mother and dog didn’t make it out. I just hugged him and had to leave the cooking line to gather my emotions” said Paul.
“One of the most harrowing stories was from a man escaping the fire in his Volvo. The blaze had hemmed him in on both sides before completely crossing the road in front of him. He said he was going to die if he stopped so he hit the gas pedal and drove right through a 150-foot wall of flames. The flames melted his car and it stopped running, he had to leave it and keep going on foot. He said he would have died if the police didn’t eventually rescue him”
The Klyne’s original vacation had them flying out on Friday, however, they have decided to extend their stay until Sunday to further help the evacuees.
“What we’re doing here is a drop in the bucket, but showing our friends south of the border that we love and care about them in times like this is most important.”
As of Friday, the Camp Fire death toll had reached 63, with dozens of people from the area still reported missing.
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