A Michigan man has launched a GoFundMe campaign titled “How’s She Going Eh?” to help Sarnia, Ont., recoup some of the costs of rescuing roughly 1,500 Americans on inflatable rafts and boats that drifted across the border on the St. Clair River.
On Sunday, the 1,500 rafters were taking part in the Port Huron Float Down, an unsanctioned, annual event where participants float down the St. Clair River that divides Michigan and Ontario.
High-winds and strong currents unexpectedly blew the participants off course and into Sarnia where city employees and first responders leapt into action to rescue what Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley described as “over-refreshed” visitors.
READ MORE: 1,500 people returned to Michigan after floating across Canadian border
The City of Sarnia has said the total cost of the rescue and cleanup was $8,181.77.
Joe Wiedenbeck, of Marysville, Mich., said there was a lot of negativity surrounding the event and decided to launch the crowdfunding campaign to rescue some of the costs.
“I kind of got tired of the negativity and really what was just out of sarcasm, challenged people saying ‘if you want to do something, here is your chance’ to it just snowballed from there,” Wiedenbeck told Global’s The Morning Show
Hs said the response to his campaign has been overwhelming and spoke with Sarnia’s mayor about distributing any funds collected
WATCH: Americans accidentally invading Canada on rafts rescued by coast guard
As of Thursday morning the campaign had raised $3,870 of its $9,000 goal.
Here is a breakdown from the city on how much was spent on the rescue mission:
- Sarnia police spent $3,405.92
- Sarnia Transit gave rides to U.S. citizens back over the border at a cost of $1,977.97.
- Public works department spent $712.40
- Fire and rescue services spent $1,435.99 getting people from the water
- Parks staff spent $649.60 on cleanup
The mayor has said he would use any funds raised by the online campaign to celebrate cross-border relations, but he would not ask the Americans to pay back the city.
“Even if we wanted to ask someone to pay us back, there is no one to ask, there is no organizer and it’s not an official event,” Bradley told The Canadian Press.
And he continued to praise the efforts of first-responders and city staff.
“Everyone who responded — police, fire, and the coast guard — took the right approach,” Bradley said.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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