Returning Jasper evacuees leaning on each other, neighbours in first days

The power of a home-cooked meal has been proven in Jasper, where one woman has spearheaded an initiative to feed hundreds of residents every night.

• Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News Edmonton, right at your fingertips

Although Jasperites began to return to their town on Aug. 16, as of Wednesday, only one grocery store was open, no restaurants had reopened in a large-scale way, and many returning residents were dealing with refrigerators that had gone rancid over the weeks they were displaced.

On top of that, the Jasper Food Bank was one of the buildings that was destroyed when flames burned through the southwest part of town on July 24.

The Friday that the first Jasperites returned, Legion manager Sue Henderson made a pot of chilli to share with whoever needed, not knowing how many that would be.

"I just knew that I can make this for 30 people," she said. "Well, now I gotta make it for 300, you know?"

As more Jasperites returned, more turned up for supper – or a hug or conversation with friends.

"They can relate their own stories, you know? The good the bad – but they have somebody here to help them out," Henderson told CTV News Edmonton.

Quickly, her one-woman show needed to expand.

With help from other Legion members, the local Lions club and many, many volunteers, Henderson serves between 600 and 1,000 people for supper each night, in addition to dozens who come earlier in the day for breakfast and lunch by the Lions

"I thought I was going to see sadness, but there's no sadness. Everybody's very helpful and they donate some of the money that they can donate," said Lyle Gustafson, the District C-1 Lions governor.

He, a Devon resident, is one of three out-of-towners staying in Jasper for the time being.

"As long as we can feed them, they can concentrate on cleaning up and getting back to normal."

Henderson echoed this, promising to keep cooking at least until restaurants open.

"It's my heart," she said.

"All I want to do is help. I want to help my friends. I want to help my town."

Henderson and the Lions' work is being funded through various sources, but largely a Lions grant and donations.

'They're our neighbours'

The same charitable spirit is evident in Jasper's neighbouring communities who've contributed resources where they can.

In Hinton, about 80 kilometres east of Jasper, another big-hearted and determined woman has organized a "free store" for displaced Jasperites.

Originally, Colette Walker went to the local thrift shop, Full Circle, in need of supplies for a Jasper friend affected by the fires.

She says the owner let her take what she needed for free – then offered the same to other Jasper evacuees.

Together, they sought a space from which they could do more. They found the perfect one – 159 Athabasca Avenue – owned by a Jasperite who was willing to lease it to them for three months for free.

"We've had (donations) from the Yukon, we've had Ontario, we've had Vancouver, we've had Banff and Canmore, Edson … It's coming from all over the place," Walker said of the clothing, housewares and furniture that fill the new shop.

About 30 or 40 people come through every day, she estimated.

"There is a real special bond between Jasper and Hinton," volunteer Bernice Fenrich, a Hinton resident of nearly 50 years who met her husband in Jasper, told CTV News Edmonton.

"They're our neighbours," Walker, a retiree and former search-and-rescue volunteer, added.

"Our arms are open, our hearts are there, and we're there for them."

The store is not currently accepting donations, as volunteers need to sort through the items most recently collected, but Walker said it will likely need more in the future.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nicole Weisberg