Pictures of devastation from Nepal following the April 25 earthquake inspired one Prince George resident to take up the cause - and the collection plate.
Donating to charity is nothing new for Harman Atwal, who moved to Canada in 2003 from India. This weekend, he can again be found at Masich Place Stadium during the Relay for Life where he'll be selling homemade samosas with proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society.
But looking at pictures of the wreckage and human suffering left in the wake of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that has killed more than 7,500 people, Atwal said he felt compelled to act.
"They're looking for help. They have no money, no houses, no water to drink," Atwal said. "I thought, 'I can do something for them.'"
Atwal reached out to his fellow taxi drivers at PG Taxi and asked if they would help him support the Nepal victims. Within three days he had raised $2,500, with the company pitching in an additional $500 to make it an even $3,000.
Atwal said he wasn't surprised by how quickly his colleagues jumped on board, even agreeing to cancel a planned weekend party to donate any money that would have been spent.
There's no donation too small when it comes to trying to help others, Atwal said.
"If everybody can donate $1 it goes (a long way) to help. Everybody's supposed to think positively, don't think negatively," he said.
Atwal and PG Taxi donated the money they raised to the Canadian Red Cross, which will be matched by the federal government, for a total contribution of $6,000.
