Over Sea’s Tantallon office filled to the brim with donations!

The Tantallon wildfire of May 2023 was a harrowing event for our community. For nearly a week, the blaze devastated parts of Nova Scotia, displacing over 16,000 residents, destroying 151 homes, and causing an estimated $165 million in insured damages. As the flames spread, so did a profound sense of urgency and compassion. At Over Sea, we knew we had to act.

Mobilizing Support

As a resident of Tantallon, Over Sea’s owner, Jordan Hipson, felt the impact of the wildfire firsthand and immediately set plans into motion to support those affected. In partnership with Terra Cafe, founded and formerly owned by Jordan, we launched a community donation drive, collecting household goods, non-perishable foods, clothing, and other essentials. The response was overwhelming—donations began arriving almost immediately and continued to pour in by the carload and truckload every day.

What started as a grassroots effort became a monumental movement, with local businesses joining in to support our mission. Anemone Dining and Side Hustle Snack Bar provided meals to volunteers and evacuees, Luckett Vineyards collected a staggering volume of donations on our behalf, and threesixfive Media stepped up to transport items between Terra Cafe and our Over Sea office in Upper Tantallon.

A Week of Tireless Effort

For an entire week, Over Sea and Terra Cafe staff worked around the clock, sorting through thousands of donations. The sheer volume of generosity transformed our once spacious office into a sea of boxes and bags filled with much-needed supplies. Despite the chaos, our team remained focused on ensuring that every donation found its way to those who needed it most.

We partnered with local care centers—including Estabrooks Hall, White Sails Bakery, and the St. Margarets Bay Legion—and distributed supplies directly to evacuees and community members affected by the wildfire. Some came to the Over Sea office to pick up essentials, while others received donations at care centers that served as critical lifelines during this challenging time.

Gratitude and Reflection

The wildfire was a stark reminder of how vulnerable we are to natural disasters, but it also highlighted the extraordinary strength and resilience of our community. Over Sea is deeply grateful to every individual, organization, and business that contributed to these efforts. Your generosity made an incredible difference in the lives of those impacted.

As rebuilding continues, Over Sea remains committed to supporting our community in any way we can. The Tantallon wildfire was a moment of profound loss, but it also served as a testament to the power of collective action and the enduring spirit of Nova Scotians.

If you would like to learn more about wildfire preparedness, visit https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/

Together, we will rebuild and emerge stronger than ever.