JW.org Community rallies around house fire family

[The Librarian]

Community rallies around house fire family

THE BILOELA community has rallied around the young family who lost their house and family pets in a house fire at the weekend.

Family friend Kirrilly McCabe set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the family just hours after the home was destroyed.

"I just thought about how we would cope in that situation - they literally were in the car and just had the clothes on their back," she said.

"They're also both not the type to ask for help. I wasn't sure how (they) would react, but I've spoken to the mother since and she's just extremely grateful that someone has sort of taken the reins."

Mrs McCabe said the community response was instant and overwhelming.

"The community's been really generous - not just through the GoFundMe but we've also had a drop off point and people have been dropping stuff off all week.

"Some of the online donations have come from people that we know through a mutual facebook group - one was in Victoria and one was from New South Wales.

"We've also gotten heaps of other donations from around town and vouchers from local businesses. One business even set up a money tin on the counter."

Physical donations were so numerous that Mrs McCabe had to post an update on Tuesday night letting people know that the family had reached capacity and needed to spend some time sorting through what they have been given.

The mother of the family, who said they wish to remain anonymous, told the Central Telegraph that members of the local Jehovah's Witnesses church had paid for a hotel for the first two nights before her partner's work was able to step in and arrange emergency accommodation.

"The support's been overwhelming, I just want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the community that's been there to support us through this rough time," she said.

"Kirrilly has been amazing. Our online and real life communities have sort of come together."

She said she and her partner were trying not to dwell on the fire by keeping themselves busy with day-to-day tasks and setting things up at their new place.

"The kids are too young to really know what's going on - (my son) doesn't really understand why we can't go back," she said.

"We're just going through donations and dealing with insurance at the moment."

Organisers of upcoming pre-loved fashion markets at the PCYC have been in contact with the family about fundraising in the coming months so that support will continue "when the dust has settled."

Donations to the GoFundMe appeal can be made here.

http://www.cqnews.com.au/news/community-rallies-around-house-fire-family/3036749/