Owner of Cookshack Cravings, Deanna Bell (left) with volunteers Alexandria and Daryl Armstrong. The team spent Friday, July 9, 2021, cooking and providing free meals for wildfire evacuees at the Kamloopa Arbour.

(SHANNON AINSLIE / iNFOnews.ca)

The volunteer team at the Cookshack Cravings food truck spent today cooking and handing out free meals to to evacuees, volunteers and first responders at the Kamloops Arbour.

The grounds have been a safe hub for wildfire evacuees and the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, has been supplying volunteers, food and other supports. Cookshack Cravings owner Deanna Bell says she and her two volunteers decided they would like to help.

Bell figures they'd be making up to 400 meals today.

“I have a ton of food as usual," she says. "Some evacuees are in Lytton on a bus tour today and will be hungry when they get back. I just want to give back and support them, so we are giving out free food today. I want to feed everybody and be grateful for everything we have."

Bell says the atmosphere on the grounds is generally positive and very friendly. People are kind and supportive of one another during this challenging time. This is the only day Cookshack Cravings will be at this location, having many other bookings already set up for the season. Bell wanted to hand out as many free meals as possible. 

“People are so nice here,” Bell says. “Many of them have just walked up and thanked us for our contribution.

"The volunteers at the Kamloops Indian Band grounds have been working tirelessly day in and day out. Having us here not only gives them a bit of a break but it also provides more options for everyone. They don’t do burgers for example. So we are doing burgers.”

Bell’s helpful volunteers Daryl and Alexandria Armstrong are committing their day to cooking and providing lighter snacks. They want to give back like everyone else.

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