A local outreach group is sharing the story of a Penticton man who could use some help from the community.

Bob Richards, 77, has been spotted multiple times collecting cans in the streets by the outreach workers with .

Richards, a former Ironman Penticton competitor who gave up the sport to help his sick wife, informed them he was not homeless but simply collecting cans and bottles to make money to pay a large amount of debt he has accumulated due to a series of unfortunate circumstances.

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After Keep the Cold off Penticton shared Richards鈥� story on Facebook the post 鈥渨ent crazy,鈥� said Mike Forster of Keep the Cold off Penticton. Ironman Canada eventually caught wind of Richards鈥� struggles through the post and launched a for him.

The GoFundMe page describes Richards as a 鈥渒ind and caring individual that took out a loan to help his fellow citizens.鈥�

鈥淥ne would imagine that fate might look kindly on such an individual. Unfortunately, that is not always the case,鈥� the page reads.

According to the GoFundMe page, Richards took out a 鈥渉uge loan鈥� in 2010 to help a family purchase a mobile home in Penticton.

In 2014, the family moved and left the mobile home a 鈥渢otal wreck,鈥� forcing him to give the mobile home away and transfer the credit line to his mortgage, according to the GoFundMe page.

Richards has slowly managed to drop the amount owing from $130,000 to $93,000 but still struggles to cope with the debt. He remains determined to pay it off.

鈥淏ound and determined, I鈥檒l get back on my feet without the financial stress,鈥� he said.

Richards鈥� full story can be found on the and original Facebook post from .

As of Feb. 16, the GoFundMe has raised nearly $8,000 of the $20,000 just one day after it was launched.

Correction: The original story indicated that Richards bought a mobile home for his children. Richards had actually bought a home for a family he was helping in Oliver. Black Press Media regrets the error.

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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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