Deep ties — and a new home — for wildfire survivor

Ted Edbom came to know the North Shuswap area, British Columbia, over several decades as a Wonder Bread franchisee and Frito-Lay delivery driver. He recounts many faces, names and personalities, describing the community as close-knit, “really, really good people.”

The North Shuswap area began to feel like home for Edbom through the personal connections his delivery work afforded him. He purchased a property in Scotch Creek, British Columbia, after years of relationship-building — and some prompting by residents-turned-friends. Then, Edbom spent weekends constructing a suite in a barn on his new property. He made the place his primary residence in 2019.

The barn and most of his belongings burned in the Bush Creek East Wildfire four years later. At 67, Edbom hadn’t anticipated these losses.

He had no plans to rebuild but set up an old motorhome to stay on the property seasonally. Edbom was surprised, then, when his daughter Amanda Slager told him he should expect a call from Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), an organization he hadn’t heard of before.

Ted Edbom (right) discusses siding, roofing and paint colours with Roman Heuft, a Shuswap Project Director.
MDS photo/Nikki Hamm Gwala

His son, David Edbom, had read about MDS’ response to the Bush Creek East Wildfire online and passed an article on to Slager. The children agreed: their father would be a good candidate for support. So, Slager applied to MDS on his behalf. Edbom heard from Peter Thiessen, coordinator for MDS’ Shuswap response, shortly thereafter.

“It was really, really something,” Edbom said, on the mid-May day that MDS committed to building him a house. It was a little more than a month since he first learned of the organization.

“I’m so proud of [my kids], I tear up,” he shared, already consulting Slager on siding, roofing and paint colours the day after an agreement was signed. “[It’s] very touching to have [MDS] reach out and help.”

MDS broke ground on Edbom’s house in June, where he can be found building a house and relational foundation with the volunteers on site. Thiessen anticipates the house to be complete in September.

Nikki Hamm Gwala, MDS Canada Communications