The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency says that the past several weeks have seen a de-escalation of fire activity in the province, but the summer has had a horrific impact on northern residents with thousands displaced from their homes and many others witnessing the destruction of their dwellings.
Firefighters worked the front lines and government and civil agencies worked to coordinate evacuations and shelters. Behind the scenes, many community and service organizations banded together to try to fundraise and support those efforts.
Lions Clubs International are among those groups, and Beryl Bauer, affiliated with 5SKN region through the Lake Lenore Lions Club outlines the efforts made through those chapters. Their funds were used to support evacuees who were forced into various shelter situations throughout north and central Saskatchewan.
The last group of evacuees left Saskatoon on August 14, marking the end of a nearly month-long support operation that saw Lions members coordinating shelter, food, and supplies for those forced from their homes by advancing wildfires.
“We received a grant of $20,700 from LCIF, which was a huge help,” said Bauer. “In addition to that, clubs in our own district contributed over $14,500 from their own funds. We were overwhelmed by the generosity.”
The aid didn’t stop there. While the LCIF grant was designated for areas directly impacted by the disaster, Lions in District 5SKS, representing southern Saskatchewan, stepped up as well, contributing over $11,000 to support their northern counterparts.
“They don’t have wildfires in the south, so they couldn't apply for a grant,” Bauer explained, “but they still kicked in $11,000 of their own money to help out. That’s the spirit of Lions - helping where it’s needed most.”
The scale of the evacuation was staggering. The largest group came from La Ronge, where an estimated 15,000 people were displaced. Other affected communities included Beauval, which saw evacuees in Saskatoon for nearly a month.
“At one point, we were supporting around 450 people from Beauval in just two hotels in Saskatoon,” Bauer said. “And that’s not counting those housed elsewhere or supported by other groups.”
Lions members across the region coordinated with hotels, local organizations, and First Nations communities like Beardy’s & Okemasis Cree Nation, which hosted 450 evacuees in temporary shelters. Prince Albert and Regina also temporarily housed groups of evacuees during the crisis.
“In total, we supported several thousand people through this,” Bauer noted. “It was a community effort that truly stretched across the province.”
Now that evacuees have returned home, Lions Clubs are reflecting on the impact of their coordinated response. For Bauer and the members of 5SKN, the experience reaffirms the Lions’ mission: “Where there’s a need, there’s a Lion.”
“This wasn’t just about helping our own communities,” Bauer said. “It was about showing that when disaster hits, we’re ready to serve - no matter where, no matter who.”