As horrendous and awful as disasters are, they have a unique ability to unify people and bring out the best in them.
Over the last couple weeks we’ve seen just about everyone lend a helping hand to the tens of thousands evacuated from Fort McMurray after the mammoth wildfire that nearly wiped out the city.
We expect our first responders to step into harm’s way, but it’s heart warming to see rank and file Canadians come together and do what they can — especially our youth.
Last week Westlock Elementary School donated $10,000 towards the Red Cross — over the years Dan McDonald’s Grade 6 class had been selling ice cream to their fellow students and slowly built up a reserve.
And when the kids heard about the disaster, they knew it was exactly where the money needed to go.
Meanwhile over at R.F. Staples Grade 11 student Skyler Grant (see this week’s Town & Country) student collected donations ranging from bottled water, to clothes and school supplies to send to the thousands that are away from their homes indefinitely.
And that was just some of what this community managed to do.
Westlock has an unusual connection to Fort McMurray. It’s close enough that we’ve seen an increase in traffic flowing through and some taking refuge, but far enough away there was no official call to open up a reception centre.
Regardless, people wanted to help.
It was the same in towns and cities across the nation as Canadians have ultimately raised $45 million in two short weeks since the disaster.
And proximity wasn’t a factor.
It’s sort of a unique phenomenon where boarders disappear.
But now that the immediate danger has subsided the thought changes from rescue to rebuilding and it’s a precarious question.
Anyone with insurance who lost their home to the fire will have it rebuilt and undoubtedly many will return, but exactly how many of the 88,000 people currently cast adrift will again call Fort McMurray home?
Ultimately that’s a question that will be answered in the years to come.