Fellow Canadians rally around Alberta farmers in need

Oct 25, 2017

The Orrs lost most of the winter feed during a wildfire

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

Acts of kindness from across Canada are reassuring Alberta farmers that they’re not alone as they move on after a devastating wildfire.

Laurry and Joce Orr run a beef cattle operation near Lethbridge, Alta. Last Tuesday, as many parts of the province were under high wind warnings, a wildfire spread to their farm.

Laurry, a lending specialist with Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, noticed the flames as he returned home. Joce, a session leader with FACES (Facilitating Awareness and Character building Experiences for Students) was inside the house at the time, unaware of the fire.

“The power went out and I thought that was really annoying and strange,” she told Global News on Monday. “Ten minutes later, Laurry burst through the door and said: ‘Call 911!’”

The fire destroyed grain, straw and some equipment, as well as about 620 round bales of hay.

Without enough feed for their livestock, the Orrs were faced with the possibility of having sell some of their cattle.

That’s when the community stepped in.

Family and friends arrived at the Orrs’ home, prepared to help any way they could. The Orrs were overwhelmed by the support.

“It’s hard to express what you feel because all of a sudden people care – they always care but it’s an opportunity when they show how much they care and it’s really appreciated,” Laurry told Global News on Monday.

The support the Orrs are receiving even stretches across provincial borders.

Eliza Grose, a friend of Joce’s, helped set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the family. In five days, more than $13,000 has been raised towards a goal of $20,000.

The generosity is a sign of how tightknit the Canadian farm community is, Grose said.

“We had someone from Saskatchewan contact us and offered to donate 200 bales of hay,” she told Farms.com today. “We’ve also had financial donations come in from farmers in Ontario. The generosity has been overwhelming.

“I’m a firm believer that good things happen to good people.”

Top photo: A fire destroyed more than 600 bales of hay on Laurry and Joce Orr's farm in Alberta.
Photo: Eliza Grose/Facebook

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