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Canadian community in Shanghai raise funds for Fort McMurray wildfire victims
By Yang Lan Source:Global Times Published: 2016/5/18 18:28:01
The wildfire ravaging Fort McMurray remains out of control in Alberta province, Canada. According to recent updates by the Alberta government, Fort McMurray is still considered an "active fire zone," with thousands of local residents having to abandon their homes and flee the city as the fire expands to over 355,000 hectares.
Far away in Shanghai, the Canadian expat community are concerned about the dire situation back at home. News updates and supportive tweets to comfort their friends and family in Alberta are no longer enough, so some have organized local fundraisers and donated 285,000 yuan ($43,631) (till May 13) to the Canadian Red Cross to help victims.
Taggart Thomson, from Alberta, used to work in Fort Mcmurray and still has many friends and connections there. In 2014, Thomson came to Shanghai. He now works as a senior associate at the Red Gate International, a media and communications company with offices in Shanghai and Toronto. After the disaster, he made a personal donation but felt that it was not enough.
He sent a message to his boss Mark Ceolin, asking if they could do something together to help people back home. Ceolin immediately came on board. With the cooperation of Bryce Jenner, the founder and owner of Shanghai's Big Bamboo Sports Bar and the support of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, the initiative grew from a few friends into a large fundraiser.
On May 13, Big Bamboo saw over 400 people, primarily Canadian expats, employees and representatives of Canadian companies and representatives from the Canadian government, attend its event.
"This is a community-led initiative. It was not run by our government, but Canadian people in Shanghai," said Colin Bogar, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.
Bogar said he hopes that more people, including non-Canadians, will donate to the Canadian Red Cross. As such they have left donation boxes at Big Bamboo locations around Shanghai. "This is the time when Canadians need to step up and take care of our own people," said Bogar.
Global support
During the fundraiser, Thomson made a public video call to his friend Myke Crysby, an equipment operator who works at a company in Fort McMurray. Attendees of the fundraiser got to hear firsthand updates about the situation and living conditions of evacuated residents.
The wildfire forced Crysby to abandon his home. His wife, son and relatives all live in Fort McMurray but were evacuated as the fire spread into the city. Due to the current dry season, hot temperatures and wind factors, the fire quickly engulfed city neighborhoods.
"Within 24 hours, it became a complete catastrophe. All of a sudden, they needed to evacuate all these people in different communities at 5 am. They drove through the apocalypse, surrounded by fire. They've lost 20 percent of the city so far, just burnt to the ground," said Thomson, who added that due to the quick thinking of fire authorities thus far there have been no casualties directly related to the fire.
Steven Zhou works for a Canadian firm in Shanghai. For the fundraiser, he dressed up in a firefighter's costume to sell raffle tickets to guests of the bar.
"All the profits of the bar today will be donated," said Zhou. "I have made personal donations, as well. I feel obligated to help Canadians affected by the disaster."
The Canadian consulate and several companies donated various products to be auctioned at the event, with proceeds going directly to the Canadian Red Cross. Zhou was moved by everyone's involvement with the fundraiser. "I see that when you are in need, people from all over the world are here to help too," said Zhou.
"The people back home at Fort McMurray might be feeling a bit helpless, but the Shanghai community of Canadians as well as the Brazilians, the Americans, the Swedish people and the Finish people - all these communities here have gotten together to help," said Thomson.
Newspaper headline: Warmth against the fire
Far away in Shanghai, the Canadian expat community are concerned about the dire situation back at home. News updates and supportive tweets to comfort their friends and family in Alberta are no longer enough, so some have organized local fundraisers and donated 285,000 yuan ($43,631) (till May 13) to the Canadian Red Cross to help victims.
Taggart Thomson, from Alberta, used to work in Fort Mcmurray and still has many friends and connections there. In 2014, Thomson came to Shanghai. He now works as a senior associate at the Red Gate International, a media and communications company with offices in Shanghai and Toronto. After the disaster, he made a personal donation but felt that it was not enough.
He sent a message to his boss Mark Ceolin, asking if they could do something together to help people back home. Ceolin immediately came on board. With the cooperation of Bryce Jenner, the founder and owner of Shanghai's Big Bamboo Sports Bar and the support of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, the initiative grew from a few friends into a large fundraiser.
On May 13, Big Bamboo saw over 400 people, primarily Canadian expats, employees and representatives of Canadian companies and representatives from the Canadian government, attend its event.
"This is a community-led initiative. It was not run by our government, but Canadian people in Shanghai," said Colin Bogar, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.
Bogar said he hopes that more people, including non-Canadians, will donate to the Canadian Red Cross. As such they have left donation boxes at Big Bamboo locations around Shanghai. "This is the time when Canadians need to step up and take care of our own people," said Bogar.
Global support
During the fundraiser, Thomson made a public video call to his friend Myke Crysby, an equipment operator who works at a company in Fort McMurray. Attendees of the fundraiser got to hear firsthand updates about the situation and living conditions of evacuated residents.
The wildfire forced Crysby to abandon his home. His wife, son and relatives all live in Fort McMurray but were evacuated as the fire spread into the city. Due to the current dry season, hot temperatures and wind factors, the fire quickly engulfed city neighborhoods.
"Within 24 hours, it became a complete catastrophe. All of a sudden, they needed to evacuate all these people in different communities at 5 am. They drove through the apocalypse, surrounded by fire. They've lost 20 percent of the city so far, just burnt to the ground," said Thomson, who added that due to the quick thinking of fire authorities thus far there have been no casualties directly related to the fire.
Steven Zhou works for a Canadian firm in Shanghai. For the fundraiser, he dressed up in a firefighter's costume to sell raffle tickets to guests of the bar.
"All the profits of the bar today will be donated," said Zhou. "I have made personal donations, as well. I feel obligated to help Canadians affected by the disaster."
The Canadian consulate and several companies donated various products to be auctioned at the event, with proceeds going directly to the Canadian Red Cross. Zhou was moved by everyone's involvement with the fundraiser. "I see that when you are in need, people from all over the world are here to help too," said Zhou.
"The people back home at Fort McMurray might be feeling a bit helpless, but the Shanghai community of Canadians as well as the Brazilians, the Americans, the Swedish people and the Finish people - all these communities here have gotten together to help," said Thomson.
(From above) Silent auction, participants and raffle at the fundraiser for Fort McMurray wildfire
The fundraiser was held at Big Bamboo Sports Bar. Photos: Courtesy of Red Gate International
Newspaper headline: Warmth against the fire
Posted in: Metro Shanghai