Truckload of donated Christmas ornaments meets need in Fort McMurray

In a matter of hours, 400 boxes of Christmas ornaments destined for Fort McMurray wildfire victims were scooped up this week.

And they might have been gone faster if volunteers hadn't stopped to listen to stories and share hugs and tears.

"To see a grown oilfield worker coming up to you with nearly tears in their eyes, shaking your hand, with their wife and their kiddies are beside them," organizer Terry Lempriere said, "I had to walk out of the room several times just to get my composure."

• Family launches Christmas ornament drive for Fort McMurray

Lempriere and his wife are driving back to High River after handing out Christmas tree decorations to 1,600 people. The charitable drive targeted 2,400 families who lost their homes during the May 3 wildfire which decimated communities in the northern Alberta city.

Albertans, including people in Fort McMurray, donated the ornaments at 21 locations around the province. It was all enough to pack a 53-foot semi-trailer 80-per-cent full. All the decorations were gone in four hours on Wednesday. Organizers had hoped to be distributing the donated items until Friday.

Money that was donated was used to purchase more ornaments from local stores in Fort McMurray.

Grateful to receive

Fort McMurray resident Erin DeLong lost all her Christmas decorations when her Stone Creek house burned down.

She stood in line for more than an hour to get new decorations. She did it for her four year-old daughter Rori-kate, who has already been asking about how they're going to celebrate Christmas in their temporary house.

"We are very grateful. I had already been mentally preparing myself for Christmas and to think about all the things I needed to replace," DeLong said.

Giving back

The Fort McMurray ornament drive was a payback of sorts for the Lemprieres.

When the 2013 High River flood displaced them, they were grateful for a similar ornament drive.

"We were really touched by the folks' response to us. They were so warm and heartfelt," Helga Lempriere said.

Lempriere said they saw lineups out the door as they distributed Christmas tree balls and figurines at MacDonald Island Park, one of Fort McMurray's recreation centres.

The Lemprieres hope other groups and businesses step up to make sure no one is left wanting this Christmas.

"It was such an overwhelming response from the people of Fort McMurray that we simply did not have enough to go around," said Terry Lempriere, "which I think clearly states that Fort McMurray still needs help."