The official search has ended, but the community continues its efforts to locate Cumberland resident Jamie Sproule, who has not been seen since Thursday.
The 65-year-old was reported missing from his Comox Lake Road residence when he failed to return home from a walk. Police say he left his home at about 1 p.m. Thursday.
Sproule — husband of Cumberland Coun. Gwyn Sproule — suffers from dementia and Parkinson’s disease, and may have difficulty speaking. He stands 6’3” and weighs about 200 pounds. He was last seen wearing a grey Stanfield wooly work vest, khaki canvas pants and black runners.
Comox Valley Search and Rescue assisted Friday with about 40 searchers, including some from Campbell River, along with a police dog, and two SAR dogs from Comox and Campbell River.
“We’re continuing for a couple more days since we still have volunteers,” Sproule’s daughter Flora Wood said Monday morning. “We really appreciate all the love and support from the community.”
She credits SAR personnel for being “thorough and professional” in their search efforts, which ended Saturday.
The case then became a missing persons file. Comox Valley RCMP is spreading word throughout B.C. in case Sproule left the Island.
Locals continued searching Sunday morning. Wood expects the search will continue until the end of Wednesday. Volunteers have been meeting at the CRI (Cumberland Recreational Institute) each morning at 8 a.m.
“We’re keeping on for a bit more, just because it’s therapeutic being in the woods and getting exercise and fresh air,” Wood said. “But the days are getting on.”
Cumberland locals are asked to check properties — including sheds and boats — and underneath tarps.
“There are still places we can tighten up our search to make sure he isn’t hiding nearby somewhere,” Sproule’s other daughter Annabelle states on the Currently Cumberland website.
She says contributions of time, food, energy and prayers “have not gone unnoticed.”
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Sproule is asked to contact the Comox Valley RCMP at 250-338-1321.
For updates, visit www.facebook.com/currentlycumberland and the Record website at comoxvalleyrecord.com.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com