Morinville Chamber raising funds for Slave Lake business community

By MorinvilleNews.com staff

Morinville – Thursday night’s business after hours event at the Community Cultural Centre took on a serious tone Monday afternoon.

The opportunity for Morinville’s business community to network while touring the new $12 million facility will now be an opportunity for local businesses to aid fellow business owners in Slave Lake, which was devastated by wildfires Sunday.

Morinville and District Chamber of Commerce Manager Jaye Parrent said a silent auction will be held at the evening event May 19.

“We at the Morinville and District Chamber of Commerce believe that it is very important that we help the business community get re-established, even if it means helping them get set up with a temporary office or location,” Parrent said in a release Monday afternoon. “Many residents of Slave Lake haven’t only been displaced and lost their homes, but they have lost their jobs too. If we can give these businesses a hand up, maybe some of these residents will have jobs to go back to.”

Parrent said the Chamber will also be accepting cash donations to aid the cause and are urging other community’s Chambers of Commerce to help the often forgotten cause of assisting business communities struck by disaster.

For more information on helping or donating to the silent auction contact Jaye Parrent at 780-939-9462.

Other efforts underway

The Chambers initiative follows on the efforts of Morinville councillors Lisa Holmes and Nicole Boutestein as well as Notre Dame parent Nicole Rogers to collect donations for those displaced by the wildfires. Residents can donate items at the Morinville Arena until 8 p.m. Monday night and from 9 until 3 on Tuesday.

The Morinville Fire Department has sent Unit 3, its 1,500 gallon pumper to Slave Lake along with six personnel. Mayor Lloyd Bertschi has arranged to have RV City, where he works as a sales consultant, send two RVs for Morinville fire crews to sleep in.

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