Winnipeggers donate to Shamattawa after blaze destroys lone store in remote community

GenerousWinnipeggers dropped off donationsfor people inShamattawa First NationFriday after the remote community's sole grocery store was destroyed in a fire Thursday.

Dozens of people donated food, water, diapers, baby formulaand other essential items at theweekly Meet Me at The Bell Tower meetupon Selkirk Avenue at 6 p.m.

"There's a lot of little kids up there right now that need it," saidMichael Redhead Champagne, an organizer with the meet upand founder ofWinnipeg community group Aboriginal Youth Opportunities.

Champagne put out a call for help early Friday after hearing of the blaze in his hometown community.

RCMP believe six youth were involved,one of them a 12-year-old boy who was arrested and is facing charges.

Read more about this story here:

• Shamattawadeclares state of emergency after fire destroys only grocery store, band office
• RCMP should not criminalize' boy, 12, accused in Shamattawa fire, chief says
• Boy, 12, arrested in Shamattawa fire, but younger kids can't be charged, police say