Phillip Schuhmacher's family is not giving up hope that they will find him. 

The 36-year-old went missing from his family's rural ranch on Highway 3A last Wednesday, and he has not been seen since.

RCMP put out an official missing persons notice on Friday, Oct. 4.

On Saturday Oct. 12, an organized search brought together roughly 80 concerned friends and family members to comb the nearby mountains for clues as to where Phillip was heading. 

"Unfortunately, we didn't find any hints of where he could have gone," his sister Sandi said. "It was really great to see all the community come together and be together for us, and show how much Phillip is loved."

The group searched the areas nearby, and determined Phillip likely headed to a nearby town. He was captured on camera entering his parents' rural Twin Lakes area home midday on Oct. 2, but was not seen leaving. 

The family believes he left through a back door. 

"And then headed either to the highway or up the mountain. But now it's looking more like the highway," Sandi said. 

Sandi believes her brother is alive and in a nearby community, and hopes that the public in the South Okanagan will take the time to look closely at his photo.

"Because it's so easy to look at the poster and then brush it off. I know until I was living this, you don't think to look. But if they could look at the poster, see his face, and look for it when they are out and about in their daily lives, because he is out there somewhere, and someone has to see him," Sandi said. 

She adds that his kind personality will shine through.

"He's always the one to help people. You'll see him holding doors for people and that kind of stuff, and giving someone a smile," Sandi said. 

"He's very much missed."

Tips about Phillip's whereabouts can be sent to South Okanagan RCMP at 250-492-4300 or anonymously at Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.