A woman from a town ravaged by wildfire only a few months ago, is spending several hours over two weeks, running in different communities to thank them for helping her town overcome the unthinkable.
Cleo Carifelle is running for Slave Lake – not to raise money – but to thank members of nearby communities for their help when a wildfire swept through part of her hometown in May.
"How else can you say thank you and show your appreciation," Carifelle said. "I truly hope that message gets across to them."
Her journey stretches over four hundred kilometres, two weeks, and seven communities.
On Saturday, she stopped in two places in St. Albert, at one stop she dropped off a banner, signed by dozens of Slave Lake residents at a store which hosted a barbecue for evacuees, and collected thousands of donations.
"It's great to know that our hard work is appreciated," Assistant Manager of Superstore Mike Fleming said.
"It's just amazing and that they'd pull together in our time of need, put themselves aside and their lives on hold for us while they took care of us," Carifelle said.
As she runs between five to eight hours a day, Carifelle knows the fatigue is nothing compared to that felt by the first responders the day she and her neighbours were ordered to evacuate.
"The firefighters apparently worked over 24 hours before they actually stopped because they were just totally exhausted."
The Slave Lake resident said spirits in her hometown are high, and the rebuild so far is going well – her community is growing closer after going through the harrowing experience together.
With files from Amanda Anderson
