It’s more than likely that you’ve already heard the news: a massive wildfire in northern Alberta community Fort McMurray has resulted in the displacement of over 80,000 residents and has over 1100 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers hard at work trying to douse the flames. Over 1600 buildings have burned, leaving many homeless and stranded in limbo with whatever personal belongings they were able to leave with. Already many Albertans have stepped up to the plate to help out and many initiatives have been undertaken to help those impacted by the devastating blaze.
Here in Calgary, NorthStar Ford, in conjunction with Q107, have been collecting supplies at NorthStar’s northwest and Cochrane locations and Q107’s downtown studio to send up to those impacted, and already have several semis ready to make the trek north. Many other Calgary businesses and non-profits are ready to lend a helping hand, including the Calgary Food Bank, Calgary Humane Society and all Calgary London Drugs locations. For a comprehensive list, check out this Calgary Herald article. One of the best posts I’ve read all day is from Buzzfeed, and it really helps to put the generosity of Albertans into perspective.
This still leaves the question: What can we do? As young people, we may not have a lot of money, time or resources that we can consecrate to directly helping the cause. Let me ask you this. Do you have $5? How much would 5$ ever actually get you on its own? A drink at Starbucks maybe? By texting REDCROSS to 30333, you can make a $5 donation to the Red Cross efforts in Fort McMurray. You’re probably thinking, “What could $5 actually do?” However, the Canadian government is currently matching donations, and if you are in Alberta, the provincial government will also match your donation. That means that your $5 instantly triples. All of a suddenly you’ve given $15 worth of aid. If 100 people donate $5, that’s already $1500 towards relief efforts. Individually, it’s not much, but together, we can make a difference. Every small donation of money, supplies or time adds up to make a difference. With damage estimates expected to reach between $2.6 billon-$4.7 billion and thousands who already are or may be left with nothing, every little bit of help matters.
If you’d like to help by donating supplies or helping out in another way, the Calgary Herald article linked above can help you find a way that you can help.
Even though we may not have a lot to give, if enough of us step up, we CAN make a difference.
