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Frustrated with Ottawa’s response to a growing refugee crisis in Syria, a group of local volunteers held a weekend fundraiser in the hopes of sponsoring two refugee families to find safe harbour in Calgary.

At the fundraiser inside Abu Bakr Islamic Centre, the group raised more than $53,000, which they expect will be enough to sponsor two four-person families of Syrian refugees. Efforts are underway to raise enough cash for a third family.

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“I do a lot of fundraisers and plan for months and months to even reach $30,000, $40,000 goals,” said Saima Jamal, who helped organize the fundraiser.

“Here, within one day’s notice, reaching that huge of an amount was just a miracle. It’s just that generosity of people that are understanding and seeing the situation unfolding in Syria, and everyone wants to come out and help.”

The refugee crisis in Syria and Iraq has come into sharp focus in recent days as calls mount for the Conservative government in Ottawa to take in more families displaced by conflict.