Search for Yarmouth County man continues
YARMOUTH — A fundraiser supported by the family of a missing Yarmouth County man was started days ago in support of the ongoing search efforts to locate Zack Lefave.
Lefave was last seen walking along Highway 334 in Plymouth, Yarmouth County, around 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 1.
As of late Monday, he had still not been found.
In a posting about the fundraiser over the weekend, Lefave's family said they are getting “increasingly desperate as the hours and days go by to find Zack and bring him home.”
“It is not like him to go this long without any contact to his family,” reads a fundraiser poster. “We thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for the overwhelming support and help we have received thus far in this very difficult time. However despite our best efforts, the search for Zack continues.”
Anyone wishing to donate to the ongoing search efforts was being invited to send a donation by e-transfer to bringzackhome@hotmail.com (security answer: zacklefave).
Any excess donations not needed for the search efforts will be donated back to the community to an organization of the family's choosing.
There is also a cash reward — which over the weekend stood at $5,000 — for information that would locate Lefave. Businesses and individuals have donated money for that reward.
Last week saw another full week of searching for the missing young man and those search efforts have continued.
Although an official search involving ground search and rescue teams was suspended after Jan. 4, hundreds of people have still been venturing out into different parts of Yarmouth County looking for Lefave.
CHECK PROPERTIES
People were still being urged to check their properties (business and residential) including outbuildings and surrounding areas.
“Essentially, anywhere that might allow someone to find a place to shelter,” read a posting on the ‘Bring Zack Lefave Home' Facebook page, which has more than 7,000 members. “A check of your own property should include a review of any camera footage in your possession from security, trail or dash cams.”
People were being reminded that should they come across something in their searches that they believe could be related to Lefave to not disturb it and to contact the RCMP.
Part of the search efforts included two full days of a community grid search held over the past weekend, which was also part of an ongoing effort.
A command centre was set up early last week in Wedgeport. Five-acre grid search areas have been drawn up with volunteer searchers signing in and out at the command centre to help keep track of who is searching and where. People are also asked to download and log into the app Gaia GPS so the areas that have been searched can be tracked.
Mandie Penney is one of those who has helped to organize that grassroots community grid search effort.
“The more people out looking, the better. However, searching by yourself or with others without a structured pattern of grid leaves a lot of room for error,” she said, since areas could be missed. As well, she said they were also worried people could themselves get lost while searching. This way searchers are accounted for and people know where there are.
Victoria Samson, another person who helped set up the grid search, said people have been very giving with their time and their donations. She reminded people to pace themselves while searching.
“You don't have to bushwhack. If you're trying to push your way through, he didn't push his way through like that. Be smart about it, don't burn yourself out. Grid searching takes time,” she said.
Penney said she and Lefave are the same age and attended school together from elementary to high school and she has friends who are close to Zack.
Asked what messages she would like to share, Penney said, “Do not give up hope.”
“We need to show Zack's family that we will not stop searching,” she said. “I'm so thankful for our community. None of this would be possible without their support, whether it be through donations, prayers, physically helping in the search or spreading the word. My heart is so full seeing everyone come together.”