Cochrane businesses and residents are stepping up to help the city Fort McMurray, after a wildfire sparked an evacuation of the community. Last Tuesday at 6:20 p.m.
Cochrane businesses and residents are stepping up to help the city Fort McMurray, after a wildfire sparked an evacuation of the community.
Last Tuesday at 6:20 p.m., Fort McMurray issued a mandatory evacuation for all of its 83,000 residents and Premier Rachel Notley declared a state of emergency for the province as of last Wednesday.
Since last week, Anzac Recreation Centre, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurrary First Nation have also been put under mandatory evacuation.
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:
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 75 per cent of the $20 buy-in for the pool tournament will also be donated. The owner said staff also challenged each other to donate their working wages the night of the fundraiser. Saturday's entertainment starts at 8 p.m. and will go to closing and Sunday starts at noon until closing. Organizers are still accepting donations for the silent auction. They will also be accepting tools, cleaning supplies and toiletries to go up to the evacuees in partnership with the Cochrane Lions Club. To organize a drop off or pick up call Jj at 403-807-2761. The bar & grill is located at 304 First St. W.
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 also donated 45 boxes from the food bank to Northstar Ford on Wednesday. The store is open from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., located at 122 Fourth Ave.
Staff are auctioning off a 20 pack of golf passes, including a cart, where the owner will match all dollars going toward the auction. Staffers have also been donating funds, and ITC Tile Contracting donated 10 golf passes. All proceeds will go to the Red Cross fund. For more information call 403-932-4414.
The pharmacy is offering extensions on prescriptions and emergency supplies on a case-by-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.
Customers can purchase and donate food or money at the registers 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.
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.
Donating $1 from every frozen pizza sold during the month of May to Red Cross. The store is located at 111 Second Ave. W.
Accepting donations for Rocky Mountain House Animal Rescue. The store is located at 402 120 Fifth Ave.
Opening the doors to any displaced dancers for as long as they are away from home. The studio's office hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 4 - 7 p.m. and the studio is located at 69 Railway St.
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.
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.
The Lions Club is working in partnership with northern Alberta Lions Clubs to figure out what supplies to send and hosting donation days. On May 6 volunteers collected supplies in pet supplies, kennels, and cash, as per request. For more information email [email protected]
Offering assistant for pet from families affected by the wildfires in Northern Alberta. The clinic is open Monday - Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and located at 118 Second Ave. W.
Photographers across Alberta are offering free photo sessions to families directly affected by the Fort McMurray wildfires. Cochrane photographer Roz Edge-Kossowan founded the public Facebook page, which can be found under “Alberta Photographers Unite. ”
Save on Foods, located at 65 Bow St.
Safeway, located at 304 Fifth Ave. W.
Dollarama, located at 40 Quarry St.
Walmart, 15 Quarry St.
Businesses/organizations that contributed last week:
Bow Valley High School, donated all the proceeds from the Time For Hope event to help support victims
Donated 10 per cent of all sales on May 5.
Cochrane youth, in partnership with some Cochrane Lioness mothers, hosted a lemonade and Freezies sale during the home opener game for the Grizzlies at Mitford Pond last Saturday.
All the money from the garage sale last Saturday was donated to Red Cross and everything that was left over was donated to evacuees in Fort McMurray, courtesy of Atlas Van Lines.
Accepted donations on May 5 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. ”
From May 5 to May 10 the store donated 10 per cent from each transaction to Alberta Red Cross.
On May 5, the store offered any evacuees effected by the Fort McMurray fires to go to the store for a free wrap.
For any person displaced from the wildfires and is currently residing in Cochrane, there is also a Facebook group called “Cochrane Friends of Fort Mac ” with residents offering supplies and housing, while also sharing fundraising initiatives.
The Alberta Government also announced it will be matching Red Cross donations in support of the people of Fort McMurray on Wednesday.
The Cochrane RCMP have dispatched three members from the detachment, to work in rotating shifts of three to five days until the state of emergency is lifted.
Redwood Meadows Emergency Services sent up two firefighters on Tuesday after the call came in on Monday requesting help.
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].
The list will be updated online as information becomes available.
