The County of Stettler has been recognized by Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Canada for its donation to aid Fort McMurray residents during the wildfire disaster earlier this year in May 2016.
ADRA Canada was created by the Seventh-Adventist Church with a mission to work with people in poverty and distress.
Following the evacuation of Fort McMurray, the county council unanimously voted in favour of a motion made by councillor Les Stulberg to support the victims of the worst natural disaster in Alberta's history.
The county provided $5,000 in financial aid to assist the many families, who had relocated to Stettler to seek refuge from disaster at the time.
The motion also directed Stettler District FCSS to administer the funds to help Fort McMurray evacuees to recover from the unfathomable loss, with the condition that should any funds be left unspent they would be forwarded to a Fort McMurray charitable cause.
Once the needs of the local evacuees were met, there was $1,700 remaining of the $5,000 donation.
"At an FCSS meeting, following a suggestion from councillor James Nibourg, it was agreed that the remaining funds should be used to purchase food and supplies from Stettler businesses to be delivered to the Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre (AWDC) in Edmonton," said Deputy Reeve Les Stulberg.
Shelly Walker and Pat Callin of Stettler District FCSS made the trip to Edmonton last month to keep the county's part of the bargain, carrying supplies from local business to deliver to the AWDC.