Helping out

Ken Whiddifield says more than anything, the people of Slave Lake need cash donations to help them survive the devastating fire that razed much of their northern Alberta community to the ground.

Whiddifield, the disaster management co-ordinator with the Thunder Bay chapter of the Canadian Red Cross, on Thursday said donations have been trickling in locally, and plenty of inquiries have come in from people wishing to donate food and other necessities.

While the latter donations are appreciated and can be used locally, people wanting to help the displaced in Slave Lake are better off making a cash gift, he said.

“After decades of experience dealing with disasters, we’ve come to the realization that the most effective way to support the people in need is to get cash to that site. That way they can purchase exactly what those individuals need from local suppliers,” Whiddifield said.

“As much as in-kind donations of food and clothing are valued and appreciated, they cause the Red Cross quite a few problems in terms of having to sort it, store it, transport it, and that brings upon us a number of additional costs.”

More than 7,000 residents of Slave Lake were forced to flee their homes on Sunday, many with little more than minutes to spare to gather a few essentials and keepsakes.

The town, which lost its radio station, town hall and hundreds of homes and businesses, has been left with no potable water, electricity or natural gas, and residents have no idea when they’ll be allowed back into the community, located 160 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

Whiddifield said the local chapter has not yet sent anyone to Alberta, where the organization has played a role registering and overseeing Slave Lake residents at a number of shelters, providing information to friends and family and providing the basic necessities of life.

To make a donation locally, phone 623-3073 or visit the Red Cross’s Barton Street headquarters.

Donations may also be made online at www.redcross.ca, or by phoning 1-800-418-1111.