Editor:
I would like to thank everyone who stepped in to help Sunday afternoon when a small plane had to make an emergency landing in Elphinstone Secondary School's rear field.
A calm, experienced pilot made a quick decision and landed safely with only minimal damage to plane and bushes. But getting the plane home took time, effort and generosity from our community.
A huge thank you to Mike Costa and Gibsons volunteer fire department, who came out in a non-emergency capacity to help take apart the plane and get it on the flat deck; Chris who came with tools to help; the Halfmoon Bay volunteer fire department friends; derby husbands Garth and Rob, with tools and multiple great ideas and a magic hat of needed things; Rulez Vixen, roller derby ref, who ran with a great idea and wrangled volunteers out of the Blackfish Pub to come help; and the Blackfish Pub gang who strolled over and said, 'sure, we'll help'; and the two gentlemen who happened to be airplane buffs who came with expertise and hands-on help and were invaluable. Thanks as well to everyone I didn't meet, but who helped in those seven hours and the Sunshine Coast Roller Girls who put the plane's recovery into motion, execution and final loading for the ferry ride home.
We in the roller derby community expect to look after each other, bonded as we are by our sport and the commitment it takes to create a team, train your players, and then play each other, literally, world wide. But to have the Sunshine Coast community step in on a sunny Sunday afternoon to help our friends, just fills our hearts and makes our roller skate wheels spin.
Kat Roussos, Sechelt
