ARA donates to Fort Mac fire relief

“This tragedy affects everyone across the country. Fort McMurray lost 2,400 structures but saved 25,000. But of those that are still standing, it will take them weeks to see how structurally sound they are,” says Doron Broadfoot, president of The Rent-It Store in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. “There is a horrendous amount of work left to be done.”

The ARA Foundation continues to monitor the situation and the impact to those in the Fort McMurray area. “We have several member rental stores in the area, so it’s important to keep watch on the containment of these wildfires,” says Jenni Swanson, ARA Foundation director of development. “Our disaster relief and recovery programs, of which the Disaster Matching Funds Program is a component of, are a true example of what the ARA Foundation represents to our industry. We are there to help those in the equipment rental industry in times of need, and that is exactly what we are doing now.”

Broadfoot, who is a past chairman of the ARA Foundation board of trustees, says, “It was gratifying that the ARA Foundation saw a need to offer assistance in the occurrence of this national disaster and that there was a program through the organization to provide financial aid.”

Rhonda Pedersen, vice president of Pedersen’s Rentals & Sales in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, agrees. “It is wonderful to see that when there is a disaster in Canada, the ARA Foundation is ready to step up and help out in such a generous way. I know that Canadian members and the CRA board of directors are grateful for this considerable donation. It makes me proud to be a supporter of the ARA Foundation, which helps members in time of need.” Pedersen is currently the vice chairperson of the ARA Foundation board of trustees.

For more information
www.ararental.org