A Williams Lake small business has sent $13,400 to support Australia’s largest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation charity as devastating bushfires continue.
Still North Design Co. sent the funds via PayPal Wednesday afternoon following their week-long ‘Australia Strong’ t-shirt fundraiser that had raised $12,600 CAD ($13,400 AUD).
“I figured that would be about the ballpark that we would be in,” says owner Courtney Vreeman. “The first two days were absolutely insane and then it kind of died out a little bit after that which I was expecting but $12,600 is not bad.”
Receiving orders from around the world for the t-shirts emblazoned with ‘Australia Strong’, Vreeman says they had received approximately 640 orders from as far away as Australia and Denmark.
Also sending funds to Australia is Still North Design Co. employee Mandee Beaulieu. Prints of her paintings depicting some of Australia’s most iconic animals raised $4,000.
“I’m really proud,” Vreeman says. “They’re [staff] all pretty proud too and we’re very thankful that we live in a community where people support fundraisers like this. It’s awesome.”