POPLAR BAY, ALBERTA (May 10, 2016) — Covenant Bay Bible Camp will begin housing evacuees from the Fort McMurray fire beginning Thursday or Friday, Jeff Anderson, superintendent of the ECC Canada Conference said.
“Evacuees are welcome to come to Covenant Bay and stay until the end of May,” Anderson said. “They will be given a cabin or a a place to park their RV” The camp is recruiting staff to supply food services.
Covenant Bay, located about 70 miles south of Edmonton, is coordinating with Mustard Seed, an Edmonton-based Christian nonprofit that works with people in poverty, including the homeless.
Mustard Seed estimates that there may be as many as 100 persons who will stay at the camp, which will push the unbudgeted expenses to as high as $2,500 a day.
Covenant Bay will not receive funds from the government or Red Cross, Anderson said. Anyone wishing to donate can do so here and designate their gift.
The conference is hosting its Annual Meeting this weekend. Anderson said that half of the offering will go to help defray costs at the camp, and the other half will help fund global initiatives.
Canadian officials said the fire has covered more than 500,000 acres. More than 80,000 residents of Fort McMurray have fled the blaze, and it is unknown when they will be able to return.
The fire has caused no deaths or injuries, officials said. It is expected to be the most expensive fire in history, with insurance estimates already in the billions of dollars.
