Sikh community sending help to Fort McMurray
The Sikh community of Metro Vancouver plans to send a tractor-trailer load full of donations to Fort McMurray, Alta., Monday to help victims of the massive wildfire.
Avtar Gill, who is coordinating the donation drive, said the region’s Sikh temples and schools have been busy accepting donations to help those who have lost their homes and personal items due to the wildfire.
The truck will take the items to Edmonton where the goods will then be delivered to those who are displaced by the massive fire that swept through the region last week. The donation drive has been widely broadcast on ethnic radio stations, and people have come through, Gill said.
“This has been a collective effort from the Sikh community,” he said.
“This effort is entirely being done based on their need,” he said of the fire victims, many of whom have yet to find out if their homes are standing.
Gill, like so many others across Canada, said he was shocked by the footage of the fire destroying many parts of the northern Alberta city.
“You can’t believe an entire town goes up like that,” he said. “We said something needs to be done to help them.”
The truck leaves the Fruiticana warehouse in Surrey Monday afternoon.
Another trailer of donations for the fire victims will also be sent. This Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., canned items, diapers pillows, toiletries and other non-perishable food items are being collected at a donation booth set up at 12600 66 Ave. in Surrey on the Tamanawis school grounds.
“You can’t believe an entire town goes up like that. We said something needs to be done to help them.” — Avtar Gill