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Sikh-Canadians Reach Out To Help Fort McMurray Evacuees

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Three semi trucks full of donations collected by the members of the Vancouver-area Sikh community from around Canada’s British Columbia are now heading for Edmonton, Alberta to help with the relief effort for thousands of Fort McMurray residents forced from their homes.

The massive fire that swept through Fort McMurray required a complete evacuation by all of its 90,000 residents, destroyed parts of the city and continues to burn.

The fire in the province of Alberta covers 850 sq km. The entire city of Fort McMurray was evacuated three days ago.

Fifteen gurdwaras and other Sikh bodies had jointly issued an appeal, "Sikh community donation drive for Fort McMurray," asking community members to donate canned food, diapers, toiletries, baby powder and baby wipes at local gurdwaras and Sikh organizations. Sikh-Canadians began dropping these off at the designated sites in Surrey, New Westminster, Abbotsford and Vancouver areas.

Donation drive coordinator Avtar Singh Gill said the original goal of one truckload was quickly met, and within 48 hours, organizers had to find two more trucks to take all the donations north to Edmonton.

"I feel so proud of the community," said Avtar. "Every person, from a small child, to old person is helping."

Many aid organizations discourage the donation of goods, preferring direct monetary donations, but the Edmonton Emergency Relief Services Society welcomes efforts like the one undertaken near Vancouver.

"The items are definitely needed and the community ... that has gathered this for us is absolutely outstanding," said Edmonton Emergency Relief Services spokesperson Nicole Geoffrey.

"[The relief centres] are still very desperate. We still have evacuees coming in daily from the wildfires. We still have them coming in, so there is still a state of desperation there," she said.

"It's about 80,000 pounds in total, for one trailer, so I've got about 44,000 pounds of goods in it, so all kinds of supplies for the people out there," he said.

"I'm paying all out of our pockets, but it's not that big a deal. I think it's nothing - it's very little. That's the best I could do from my job point," he said.

"In my career, I've done a lot of hauls to Fort McMurray, and I've made a lot of money from there, too. So now it's a time to pay some back."

Kiran Kaur Saluja is a mortgage specialist who was taking time in between meetings on Monday, May 9, 2016,  to help organize and load all of the food and supplies into the three trailers.

"The people our Sikh community, they're always willing to help. You just tell them one time and they just continue. Everybody wants to help," she said.

"If [the Fort McMurray fire victims] need anything else, just let us know and we'll provide it," said Kiran.

Geoffroy said monetary donations are certainly welcomed by the Edmonton Emergency Relief Services Society, but the group isn't turning away donations of food and new clothing.

She asks that donors contact the group at (780) 428-4422 to ensure there's a need and capacity to accept the goods being sent.

Geoffroy also suggests checking to see what new items are in highest demand each day.

As for the Sikh community that rallied to collect and ship so many supplies, they're not finished: on Saturday there's a plan to send five more truckloads to northern Alberta.

That effort will be focused on items like new clothing and shoes.

"That's been our values - the core values. That's what our religion says," said Harminder as he prepared to drive through the night to Edmonton. "It doesn't matter who it is, if anybody needs help from us we should go out and lend a hand."

Alberta-based gurdwaras in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer have also been mobilizing collection of material from the local communities.

In the meantime in Edmonton, where most of the evacuees are headed, Gurdwara Millwoods at 2606 Millwoods Road is offering free vegetarian meals for evacuees 24 hours a day.

As well, The Guru Nanak Sikh Society has compiled a list of dozens of spare bedrooms, basement suites and motel rooms available free of charge for Fort McMurray evacuees, offered by members of their congregation.

Those with room available or evacuees in need of a place to stay in Edmonton can call Arundeep Singh Sandhu at 780-935-2786.


[Courtesy: The Toronto StarThe Edmonton Journal, TNN. Edited for sikhchic.com]
May 10, 2016

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