Cochrane business and residents are stepping up to help the city of Fort McMurray, after a wildfire sparked an evacuation of the community. As of 6:20 p.m.
Cochrane business and residents are stepping up to help the city of Fort McMurray, after a wildfire sparked an evacuation of the community.
As of 6:20 p.m. on May 3, the city issued a mandatory evacuation for all of its 83,000 residents and Premier Rachel Notley declared a state of emergency for the Province on May 4.
Since then, the Anzac Recreation Centre, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurrary First Nation are also under mandatory evacuations.
Support for evacuees has been flooding social media and Cochrane businesses and people are ready to extend a helping hand.
How Cochrane is currently helping:
- Accepting donation of supplies to be delivered to the evacuees in northern Alberta. The store is located at 340 Railway St.
- Accepting donations of “everything and anything ” during school hours. The school is located at 501 Sunset Drive and is open until 4 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, and closes at 3 p.m. on Friday.
- Accepting donations of cat/dog food (canned or dry), slip leads, collars, leashes and plastic crates. Working with Edmonton Humane Society, the Calgary Humane Society and Red Deer SPCA, the society has also offered to house displaced animals and emergency boarding as need. The shelter is located at 62 Griffin Industrial Pt.
- On May 14 all proceeds from the Clothesline, not-for-profit clothing store, will be donated to Red Cross. The store will be accepting gently-used clothing in the days leading up to the sale and cash donations on the day of the sale. The Cochrane Activettes have already donated 45 boxes to Northstar Ford on Wednesday. The store is located at 122 Fourth Ave.
- Offering extensions on prescriptions and emergency supplies on a case-to-case basis. Staff encourages those affected by the fire situation in Fort McMurray to visit the store or call. The store is located at 105 100 Grand Blvd. and can be reached at 403-932-2500.
- Donating 10 per cent of all sales on May 5. The store closes at 8 p.m. and is located at 4101-101 Sunset Dr.
- Donating $1 from every frozen pizza sold during the month of May to Red Cross. The store is located at 111 Second Ave. W.
- Cochrane youth, in partnership with some Cochrane Lioness mothers, are hosting a lemonade and Freezies sale during the home opener game for the Grizzlies at Mitford Pond from 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday.
- All the money from the garage sale will be donated and whatever is left over from the annual garage sale on Saturday will be donated to evacuees in Fort McMurray, courtesy of Atlas Van Lines. The sale will be on Saturday from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. and is located at 504 First St. W.
- Accepting donations of diapers, sealed wipes, new toiletries, new socks and underwear, pet food, baby food, formula, gently used clothes of all sizes, or cash to “fill the foyer ” on May 5. The store is located at 118 First Ave. on the upper level.
- Offering “donation classes ” where all donations will go those affected by the fires in Fort McMurray. The classes are on Friday at 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Saturday at 9:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m., and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday at 5:45 p.m. For more information call 403-465-9995. The studio is located at 417, 101 Sunset Drive.
- Accepting donations for Rocky Mountain House Animal Rescue. The store is located at #402 120 Fifth Ave.
- Accepting donations for Red Cross. The store is located at 65 Bow St.
- Accepting donations for Red Cross. The store is located at 304 Fifth Ave. W.
- Customers can purchase and donate food or money at the tills and the store is accepting donations for Red Cross. Owner/operate Mark Johnson also donated a full pallet of water to Northstar Ford on May 6. The store is located 210 Fifth Ave.
- Staff are auctioning off a 20 pack of golf passes, including a cart, where the owner will match all dollars going towards the auction. Staff have also been donating funds, and 10 of the golf passes were donated by ITC Tile Contracting owner. All proceeds will go to the Red Cross fund. For more information call 403-932-4414.
- Donating $1 from every transaction at the cafe during May to Red Cross. The manager will also be making weekly trips to Edmonton to donate supplies to the Edmonton relief centre. If anyone has donations call 403-975-9377 or email [email protected]. The store is located at 312 Fifth Ave.
- Accepting $2 donations to Red Cross. The store is located at 15 Quarry St.
- Shoppers can donate their Optimum Points and the company will match the value of donations up to $25,000. The store is located at 120 Fifth Ave.
- Hosting “Support the Fort ” fundraiser on May 14/15 with live entertainment and a pool tournament. A portion of sales from every beer and appetizer platter will be donated, and $15 of the $20 buy-in for the pool tournament will also be donated. Organizers are still accepting silent auction donation, and will also be accepting tools, cleaning supplies and toiletries to go up to the evacuees. To organize a drop off or pick up call Jj at 403-807-2761. The bar & grill is located at 304 1 St. W.
- Collecting pet supplies, kennels, and cash, as per request from Lions Club's in northern Alberta. Volunteers will be collecting until 7 p.m. on May 6 at the Cochrane Rodeo grounds located just off Fifth Ave.
The Cochrane RCMP have also dispatched three members from the detachment, to work in rotating shifts of three to five days until the state of emergency is lifted.
As of now neither Cochrane or Bragg Creek/Redwood Meadows fire departments have been requested to help.
The list will be update frequently as information becomes available.
If you know of any other business or organization doing anything to support the state of emergency, email Cochrane Eagle reporter Jenna Dulewich at [email protected].
