Fund to support children of crane victims

The Southern Interior Construction Association is launching a fund to support children of the people killed in the Kelowna crane crash.

Five people were killed when a giant crane came crashing down last week at the Bernard Block construction site in downtown Kelowna.

Funds raised will help pay for post-secondary education for the children.

Brothers Eric and Patrick Stemmer, whose family business, Stemmer Construction of Salmon Arm owned the crane, were married and each had two children. One of the brothers’ wives is pregnant.

Others killed were also young men.

It is not the intent to take any attention away from the current GoFundMe campaigns that have been established for the families, the construction association said in a news release.

“We were deeply saddened to learn of the tragic crane accident in Kelowna on July 12. Our hearts are grieving for the families, friends and co-workers of those victims of this terrible event,” said Scott Wild, CEO of SICA. “We know this has sent ripples across the entire country as we have had many colleagues in the industry reach out to us with compassion for, and solidarity with our community in grieving these losses.

“While there are no words we can say to offer comfort the grieving families, we can instead come together as an industry and community to build a future for the families these men were working hard to care for,” he said.

The fund is being set up with the Construction Foundation of B.C.

Donations can be made on SICA’s website at sicabc.ca/donate. The site also gives instructions for making a donation by cheque. Tax receipts will be issued.