A five-year-old Ontario boy couldn't help but join the outpouring of support for the thousands of Fort McMurray residents who have fled their homes due to a massive wildfire that shows no sign of slowing down.
Alexander Tuck spent Saturday afternoon running a lemonade stand with his mother, Danielle, to collect donations for the Canadian Red Cross relief effort. The two set up the stand outside a local shopping centre in the town of Whitby, located about 55 kilometres northeast of Toronto.
Tuck's lemonade stand has raised nearly $2,600, with many passersby stuffing $10, $20, and even $100 bills into his collection box.
Tuck’s mother, Danielle, said she was surprised at how much money they collected.
"I'm just shocked. The donations coming in are overwhelming. We never expected it to go to this level," she told CTV Toronto.
Residents were duly impressed by Tuck’s efforts to help the Fort McMurray evacuees.
"I just think this is the greatest thing that this young man has made this effort for Canadians who are in trouble," resident Ruth Fox said.
Kat Jones, a Fort McMurray resident who left for Toronto days before the wildfire broke out, held back tears as she presented Tuck with a teddy bear. "It's so amazing that everyone has come together," she said.
The latest assessment from Alberta fire officials suggests Fort McMurray residents will not be returning to their homes any time soon. The Alberta government has begun preliminary planning for resettlement efforts, but stresses that fighting the blaze remains their top priority.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said on Saturday that there is "an enormous amount of work to do to make the city safe and habitable." Notley added that there is no drinkable water in the city, gas lines have been shut off, and the power grid has been damaged.
Tuck's lemonade stand drew the attention of local MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes. She presented Tuck with a citation for his work to help those impacted by the fire.
The Canadian Red Cross said on Friday that it had collected more than $30 million for the relief effort. Ottawa and the Alberta government say they will match all donations.
About 14,000 families were registered to receive aid from the agency as of Friday. That number is expected to grow as the evacuation continues.
The Red Cross is preparing for a long-term relief effort in Fort McMurray. It remained active for four years after the fire that destroyed 400 buildings in Slave Lake, Alta. in 2011.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Austen Delaney
