MONTREAL – The Montreal Canadiens and the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation announced on Thursday a donation of $100,000 to the Canadian Red Cross to support people affected by the forest fires in the region of Fort McMurray.

“Our thoughts are with the people of this community who experienced an unprecedented disaster,” said Geoff Molson, president and CEO of the Montreal Canadiens. “We salute the courage and the remarkable efforts made by all those who bring aid and comfort to the victims of these wildfires. We encourage our fans to join us by making a donation.”

The forest fires raging since May 3 triggered the largest fire-related evacuation in Alberta’s history. Since the beginning of the disaster, more than 700 employees and volunteers of the Red Cross have been working tirelessly in accommodation centers to meet basic needs and in call centers to register all of the victims. Currently, more than 80,000 evacuees have been registered. Through this hard work, the Red Cross is not only able to confirm that the victims are safe and that no one is missing, but it can also ensure the coordination of efforts to ensure that aid reaches the evacuees, no matter where they have taken refuge.

“We are deeply touched by the incredible solidarity shown by the people, businesses and foundations to this situation. This generosity will enable the Red Cross to be there for the evacuees and disaster victims for weeks, months and perhaps even years to come. In the devastated communities, it will not be easy to recover from this disaster, but through donations like the one from the Montreal Canadiens and its Foundation, we can help them through this ordeal,” said Pascal Mathieu, vice-president of the Red Cross in Quebec, who also expressed his gratitude to the organization for its donation.

Fans wishing to make a donation and provide assistance are encouraged to visit www.redcross.ca for more information on how to support the Canadian Red Cross.