On Friday March 11, 2011 at 2:46 p.m. (Japan Standard Time) a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit Japan.
The earthquake was followed by hundreds of large aftershocks and triggered a large Tsunami that spilled from the Pacific Ocean wiping out Japanese towns and villages.
The results were catastrophic and life changing for thousands of Japanese, many of whom were left with only the clothes they were wearing.
Half a world away, local resident Gwendolyn Nicholas was thinking about what she could do to help.
Nicholas said to Lakes District News that she has friends in Japan and she was very concerned about them and their well being.
While Nicholas said her Japanese friends, were thankfully not directly effected by the Earthquake and Tsunami, she felt that she needed to do something to help.
She discussed the issue with fellow local resident Waneta Nealis and together they came up with the idea for a community fundraiser.
"We came up with the idea for a donation drive," she said.
Nealis designed the donation jar labels and her children helped with printing them out.
"It was really neat," Nicholas said.
Donation jars were distributed to 20 businesses throughout the community for a two week fundraising campaign that ended last week.
"I wanted to send some support from our community. When I think of the devastation and I think how would it be, how would we cope [if something similar happened here]. I was thinking about this for quite some time and about what I could do," Nicholas said.
She chose the Japanese Red Cross as the charity to receive any funds donated from Burns Lake as their response to the disaster seemed to be the most immediate.
Nicholas said, "The Japanese Red Cross are key to the efforts in Japan. I have supported the Red Cross all my life, they are an important agency. The Japanese are running it [the Japanese Red Cross], they are helping the communities that need it."
According to the Japanese Red Cross website medical tents and over 80 medical teams have been deployed to the disaster area. Red Cross volunteers are also on the ground providing search and rescue operations, first aid and evacuation assistance.
They have distributed approximately 122,530 blankets and 20,760 emergency kits which included a portable radio, a flashlight and booklets on emergency health care. The Japanese Red Cross have also distributed hot meals.
Nicholas said many local residents have come to her saying the fundraiser is a great idea.
She added that people have also been coming in to the store [Health in Order] for potassium iodide tablets as there are some concerns about the possibility of radiation from Japan's nuclear reactor meltdown reaching the local area.
"We are sold out of potassium iodide tablets, we didn't have many in stock, but people are very concerned," she added.
As reported in the Lakes District News edition of April 6, 2011, there has been a miniscule increase in radiation levels detected on the B.C. Coast, however Health Canada say there is no cause for concern.
This is not the first community fundraiser that Nicholas has organized but she said it is the first time her fundraising efforts have been for an international cause.
"Whole communities in Japan, larger than Burns Lake are gone .... I had to do something to help," Nicholas added.
The Government of Canada has also stepped in to help Japan offering a17-member, victim-identification team as well as relief supplies, emergency medical and engineering capabilities and financial relief.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a March news release, "Canada stands ready to provide any and all possible assistance to the people of Japan."
Canada has also offered chemical, biological, nuclear technical expertise and equipment, according to a statement from Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon's office.
The local fundraising campaign has now come to an end and the community has pulled together to raise a total of $2,375.26. Nicholas said she is very pleased with the amount that was raised.