Although she insists she doesn’t want any help, it looks like 87-year-old Marilyn Reid of Nephton is going to get some anyway.
Supporters have set up a GoFundMe campaign to help the long-time owner of Reid’s Log Cabin Snack Bar, located on County Road 6 at Hull’s Rd on Upper Stoney Lake in North Kawartha.
According to a report by Global News Peterborough yesterday (January 10), Reid has run out of funds to operate her convenience store and gas bar, and is unable to stock the shelves or fill the gas tanks.
Reid and her husband Bill began operating the convenience store in 1968, which has become a mainstay for both permanent and seasonal residents in the area over the past 50 years. Her husband passed away in 2002, and Reid has no family.
Reid — who has limited mobility and uses a walker to get around — is known to locals for her generosity, including allowing someone to pay later if they can’t afford something in her store.
In 2015, the community came together to raise $3,400 to help Reid purchase a new car. She lives behind the store and needs to drive to Lakefield for supplies.
“Mrs. Reid is a gem,” writes Stuart Harrison on the Stoney Lake Facebook page. “After a number of her neighbours got together to provide her with a car a few years ago, she made a habit of leaving a $5 bill every Sunday at the checkout at Lakefield Foodland as her way of paying it forward.”
While Reid tells Global News that she doesn’t want people to help, her neighbours and supporters are already rallying to raise funds.
In fact, the crowdfunding campaign at gofundme.com/helping-reids-store has set a ambitious goal, attempting to raise $250,000 to support Reid and her business. As of the date and time of this story, more than $2,000 had already been raised in less than 24 hours.
The organizer of the GoFundMe campaign is also encouraging local businesses or contractors to help support Reid and her “vital community business”.
