A High River, Alta. couple want to make sure Fort McMurray residents have a merry Christmas.

Helga and Terry Lempiere have been collecting brand new baubles, artificial trees and decorations destined for Fort McMurray homes. The couple launched the “Christmas for Fort McMurray” donation campaign to bring hope to the people of fire-ravaged Fort McMurray.

“The biggest thing I want them to know is they're not alone, and it's going to be okay,” Helga Lempiere said.

When approximately 80,000 residents were forced to flee their homes because of the Fort McMurray wildfire, many left with just the clothes on their backs. The holidays, let alone saving Christmas decorations, were low on their list of priorities.

It’s a scenario that Helga can understand. Her family’s home was partly destroyed by the massive High River flood in 2013. They lost everything in the basement, including their beloved Christmas decorations.

“Pretty much everything was down there,” she said.

When December rolled around that year a community outreach program gave them Christmas decorations. It was a small act of kindness that made a big difference in her family’s life.

“To me, it said ‘We're not alone,’” she said.

Now, her family is paying it forward with the help of other supporters. Word of their volunteer effort spread quickly over social media and drop-off locations were set up across Alberta to accept donations from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31. Those who are unable to deliver ornaments to a collection site can donate to the Gofundme campaign which has raised more than $1,500 to date.

With one day to go, the Christmas decorations will soon be on the road to Fort McMurray. The trucking company Terry works has donated a 16-metre tractor trailer to deliver the donations.

“This is a way to pay it forward,” Terry told CTV Calgary.

A similar drive is happing in Slave Lake, which was devastated by a wildfire in 2011. The “Christmas Love for Fort McMurray” group rallied local artisans to create handmade ornaments for residents.

“Each Christmas, I pull out my ornaments and am grateful that I have them still, and each year after our fire I think of those who don't,” wrote organizer Brenna Emes on the group’s Facebook page.

“The first Christmas will be hard and this will be a little bit of Christmas light and love that will help.”

With files from CTV Calgary