Subject: Operations Support Unit

  In late 2016 we came to the conclusion that our aging food truck wasn’t going to last much longer. Our volunteers depend on the food truck when we are out on long missions – there is nothing better than coming off the mountain cold and wet and having a warm meal ready! Once we figured out what a replacement was going to cost we started our fundraising efforts. And thanks to many of you the new truck will soon be operational! A big boost came when Taco Time Northwest donated a Food Truck body that we could rework and reconfigure for our needs. That was followed by many generous donations from individuals in the community. Grant support has also been a vital component and we are grateful to the Tulalip Tribes Charitable Contribution Funds Program and The Leland J. and Dorothy H. Olson Charitable Foundation for their significant contributions to making the truck a reality. By the time we send out our next newsletter, the truck should be fully operational. Stay tuned for pictures when it is all done!

For 50 years, they have answered when called and gone out on missions supported by volunteers with thousands of hours of training and specialties. The operations come at a price, though, and the nonprofit Snohomish County Volunteer Search And Rescue (SCVSAR) is looking to keep the outfit going through soliciting donations, grants and time. This is where the SCVSAR food truck comes in, although the 31-year-old GMC Value Van, which is a former SWAT vehicle, is on its last days of missions. “We are currently faced with — ‘how are going to replace this food truck?’ It’s still running, but it’s failing and it is a critical part of our missions because it helps sustain our volunteers,” said Bill Buck, board vice-president and volunteer. The food truck goes out on nearly every mission. It was a vital part of the Oso Mudslide response because it spent nearly 30 days out with the volunteers. To learn more about what we do and how you can help, visit the full Snohomish County Tribune article HERE or, visit our donation page HERE to lend your support now!  

Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue is an all-volunteer organization with over 300 volunteers on-call 24 hours a day to assist with emergencies and disasters, including locating missing children, saving injured hikers, and performing rescues during storms and other natural disasters like the Oso mudslide. We need to raise $120,000 to replace our 20-year-old food truck and we need your help to do it! If you’re a ground searcher about to head out with a team on a mission, it’s very encouraging to have a hot meal before you leave, and know that there’s a hot meal, and a smile, waiting for you when you return. If you’re a family member or a friend desperately waiting for word for your loved one, a hot meal, served with love, makes a big difference.   If you’re an out-of-county SAR volunteer helping us with one of our missions, a hot meal is one way we’re able to say “thank you for your support”. Our food truck has also fed and supported multiple other agencies, as it did following the Oso landslide, where it operated nearly every day for more than 30 days. Your donation will help us replace this vital piece of equipment […]