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Donations dropped off for Slave Lake evacuees during 12-hour event in Saskatoon

May 21, 2011 | 9:59 AM

Bags and boxes overflowing with blankets, toys and food are piling up in Saskatoon's Stonebridge Walmart parking lot Friday morning.

People are giving whatever they can to evacuees from Slave Lake, Alberta who had to leave their homes after wildfires forced the entire town to evacuate.

A group of volunteers in Saskatoon wanted to give those people the things they had to leave behind. Their goal is to fill up a Kindersley Transport truck with as much supplies as they can by 8 p.m. Friday.

Janine Penney is a volunteer who says people stopped by with very thoughtful donations.

“We've actually had people donate grad dresses for those girls that lost them in the fires,” said Penney, who explains how two 12-year-old boys also dropped by with something special.

“They were watching TV and they saw it and they said 'Hey dad, we have to do something these kids have nothing, we want to donate these bikes'.”

Several others unloaded trunks full of boxes and bags.

“It's definitely a good cause,” said one woman.

“Well I think it's just horrendous what happened there. I always help out whenever I can because you never know when it's going to happen to you,” said another.

The truck will take the supplies to a warehouse in Edmonton where the donations will be kept until they are requested by individual evacuation centres.

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