A group of Yellowknife businesses organized a mass purchase of Kentucky Fried Chicken for Fort Simpson residents still dealing with the after effects of last week鈥檚 flood.

Forty businesses and individuals participated and raised more than $6,000 to go toward buying 101 buckets of 25 pieces of chicken, plus side items like potato chips and pop, on Saturday afternoon.

According to organizers who spoke with 黑料吃瓜网 over the weekend, the accumulation of funds for the effort was to 鈥渓ift the spirits of the community and bring together for a nice surprise.鈥�

Village of Fort Simpson Mayor Sean Whelly the donation was a very welcome surprise.

鈥淎 big thank you to the anonymous group of five donors who ordered $4,500 of Kentucky Fried Chicken coming into Simpson around 8 p.m. tonight,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he RCMP will be picking it up at the airport and Councillor Troy Bellefontaine will help at the Village Store to hand it out.鈥�

Whelly added the makeshift 鈥榲illage store鈥� in the public works shop, near where 40 or so people staying in tents, will be set up until 9 p.m. to ensure everyone gets chicken.

鈥淲e know many people are busy assessing their damage and trying to pump water, so plan for a morale boosting treat tonight. See you then. Everyone is welcome !鈥�

Organizers were putting the last minute touches on the shipment on Sunday afternoon before it was to be delivered by Air Tindi.

The original plan had originally been to send the chicken by Twin Otter but a King Air plane had to be added to the shipment to accommodate the size of the load. People involved estimated the shipment will weigh in at 842 lbs.

Sumeet Arora director of operations with Soul Foods said KFC will mark two weeks being open in Yellowknife on Monday and obviously the sale was one of, if not the largest, he has seen.

鈥淚t is definitely a big order and could be a record. I don鈥檛 have the data but there have been bulk orders,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is definitely up there.鈥�

Arora said the restaurant can handle such large orders but typically needs about a day鈥檚 notice because each piece of chicken must be breaded and prepared.

鈥淪o we do have to plan for it when it comes to such a large order but we do have the capacity and chicken,鈥� he said, noting that the restaurant has to balance the service for people who are dining in or waiting in the drive thru.

In fact, he said at the time of the order the store was addressing another large order of 18 buckets of chicken by an individual taking the food to a camp.

鈥淚 asked the gentleman if he was able to wait an hour or two and he said he was willing and was able to wait,鈥� Arora said. 鈥淗e was really happy when he got his chicken. 鈥�

Arora said the store was pleased to be able to contribute to effort by Yellowknife businesses. 鈥淲e are really happy we could support the team there and taking the time for purchasing KFC for those affected. We really appreciate that gesture.鈥�