Iqaluit fire victim donations continue to pour in

Jerry Ell organized a loonie-toonie sale March 3 at Iqaluit’s Anglican church parish hall that raised more than $7,500 for homeless families. (PHOTO BY SARAH ROGERS)

Iqaluit resident Pierre Wolfe has raised more than $5,000 since his 24-hour walk-a-thon around the city Feb. 29. (PHOTO BY DEAN MORRISON)

Donations continue to pour in to help victims of the Feb. 26 Creekside Village fire, which left 20 Iqaluit families homeless, many of them Nunavut Arctic College students.

And the response has been “overwhelming,” say recipients, with thousands of dollars raised and a steady flow of in-kind donations sent from across the country.

One recipient, Andrew Arreak and his family, moved from Pond Inlet to Iqaluit in January, so he could start studies at the college’s environmental technology program.

The family had only just begun to settle into their new home in Iqaluit’s Creekside Village complex, when their unit burned down in the Feb. 26 blaze that leveled Creekside Village’s 300-block.

Many of the residents of “White Row” left their units that night with only the clothes on their back.

But the generosity of people from across the territory, the country and even the world has made that loss a little easier to bear.

“I would like to thank everyone for all the help and support you been giving not only to my family also to the other people who lost everything,” Arreak wrote on Facebook last week. “It is really overwhelming. Thank you.”

Arreak said his young daughters have been particularly pleased with the number of new toys and clothing they’ve received since the fire.

And all 20 of the families who lost their homes in the fire have been provided temporary units in Iqaluit until the college can make longer-term arrangements.

The Canadian Red Cross, which has sent staff and supplies to Iqaluit to help with relief efforts, has raised more than $60,000 so far, money that will help pay to ship in food and supplies for the families left homeless by the fire.

For customers of First Nations Bank, the Iqaluit branch has opened an account (#500-1123) to accept cash donations that will go directly to the Red Cross Iqaluit 2012 Fire fund.

First Air has also donated the use of a plane to fly in Red Cross staff and supplies, on top of free cargo shipments of in-kind donations for victims during the week following the fire.

Arctic College’s old Ukkivik residence has been inundated with donations from across the community and the country, to the point where volunteers have requested no more in-kind donations.

But community fundraising efforts are becoming the positive face of this tragedy, with a number of local events organized to help families in need.

Iqaluit resident Pierre Wolfe has raised more than $5,000 since his 24-hour walkathon around the city Feb. 29.

Another Iqaluit resident, Jerry Ell, organized a loonie-toonie sale March 3 that raised more than $7,500 for homeless families.

In Rankin Inlet, a local penny sale pulled in $3,200 to send to the Iqaluit efforts.

And that’s not to mention dozens of other raffles, bake sales, walk-a-thons and concerts being held to raise money this week and last.