Merritt Strong shirts are being sold to help the community recover after flooding.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Aim High Creations Inc.
December 05, 2021 - 4:03 PM
A Merritt woman whose business was flooded has decided to turn the shirts she can no longer sell into something for the community.
“So my business has always been operating out of the garage of my house down in Merritt and it got flooded so I guess when the water came in all the shirt stock in the bottom shelves all got knocked down and were covered in water and mud,” said owner Amy Douthwright of Aim High Creations Inc.
The shirts couldn’t be sold, so she washed them and was going to take donate them with the slogan “Merritt Strong: Come Hell or High Water” but a friend asked to buy one.
READ MORE: Merritt evacuees live in trailer in Walmart parking lot for nearly three weeks following floods
Douthwright then got the idea to sell them as a fundraiser for the community. The funds collected from the shirts will support organizations and GoFundMes working to help the town recover.
On Nov. 15, the Coldwater River flooded its banks and the entire city was placed under an evacuation order as the wastewater treatment plant was inoperable. Much of the evacuation order has been lifted from the community as the water receded, but many homes and infrastructure sustained significant damage.
This past summer, the city was also placed on evacuation alert due to the Lytton Creek wildfire.
READ MORE: Entire City of Merritt on evacuation alert due to wildfire
Douthwright has had the t-shirt business for five years and she was only able to assess the damage to her shop a few days ago. Her home is still under an evacuation order.
“We’ve been hit hard here,” she said. “Merritt’s always been a pretty tight community. I do believe a lot of people are working together, lots of people are volunteering. I see anybody asking for help and there’s lots of people there.”
She plans to start creating the shirts tonight, Dec. 5, and is accepting orders. Douthwright also plans to put the slogan on other items, not just shirts.
“I did see a couple of different renditions floating around but I did create these ones myself,” she said.
To get in touch with Douthwright, visit her Facebook page.
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