Rankin Inlet was quick to react to help out a neighbouring community after an early morning fire destroyed the Issatik Co-op in Whale Cove on Friday, Aug. 30.
The Co-op was the only source of food items and fuel in the community.
Silu Autut is one of the boat owners in Rankin Inlet who spread the word that he would be sailing to Whale Cove to bring the community much-needed supplies.
Autut said, to him, this was just something he had to do.
He said folks in Whale Cove are Rankin's neighbours and he and his family have plenty of friends and relatives there.
“This is just one way we can help and support them,” said Autut. “I was so pleasantly surprised by how people were being so generous in donating. It's awesome. I love seeing it.”
Basically, Autut said he just put the word out in the community that he was willing to load his boat with supplies and take them to Whale Cove and the rest just took care of itself.
He said he didn't realize how much support was going to be received, which was just incredible to see.
“I've done two trips so far and I'm going again this coming Thursday (Sept. 5).
“Nobody paid us to do this. It all came out of our own pocket, but we just had to help. It's just who we are. We love to help people who are in need.”
Autut's boat can handle 2,500 to 3,000 pounds of cargo.
In addition to food items, a good portion of the items he took to Whale Cove were baby formula, Pampers and feminine products.
“A person was very generous and donated $1,500 for us to go and buy them groceries and what we bought was all the basic necessities they would need, such as eggs, milk, sugar, flour, lard, baking powder and whatnot.
“The whole thing has been unreal. When it happened, I woke up and it was all over Facebook. All I thought was that we need to help them. So, I called then right away and told them I'd try to gather some things. I posted it again on Facebook and 'boom' my garage was half-filled just like that.”
Autut said a couple of corporations recently reached out to him and said they were willing to pay for his gas if he made more trips.
He said he posted on Sept. 3 that he would be going again on Sept. 5 and hoped he'd have another full load to take to Whale Cove.
“Hopefully, we can help Whale Cove even more. Their spirits are high in the community and they're so appreciative of all the help they've received.
“They know they're being thought of and everyone is praying for them. When I dropped the first load off, the whole community was there to receive it and bring all the goods to their recreation hall, where they divided it all up and made sure everyone received something.
“The whole community was clapping as I was leaving and they were all yelling, 'Hooray'. It was just an amazing experience.
“That kind of appreciation is worth more than anything money can buy. I'm just so happy everyone has stepped up like this and we've been able to help them as much as we have, so far.”
