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Starting Over After The Fire

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On Tuesday afternoon, December 1, 2015 Mareka & Leo discovered black smoke filling the second floor of their 100 year old brick home.  They got outside & called 911.  Thankfully the local volunteer fire department arrived, rescued their pets & put out the fire.  Because the damage was extensive, the Red Cross made arrangements for them to stay at a motel.  As upsetting as it was to be displaced, Mareka & Leo looked forward to the next day when they could assess the damage & decide what to do next.  They were OK & most of their pets had survived.
     Unfortunately, sometime during the night the fire rekindled.  Because the home was located in a rural area, no one saw the fire until it was too late.  Several fire companies arrived, but there was nothing they could do to save the structure & its contents.  The home had belonged to Mareka's parents.  It was paid for & there is no insurance.
     At an age when most couples are finalizing their retirement plans, Mareka & Leo are starting over from scratch.  They lost everything...furniture, linens, appliances, dishes, cookware, clothing & a lifetime of personal mementos & pictures...nothing is salvageable.
     I am the manager at the LW Emporium Co-op where they have several booths.  We are a family here & are helping with immediate needs, but this tragedy is far beyond our capacity.  Leo has been in the hospital several times this year & is on disability.  Their medical bills have skyrocketed & now with the fire, they are devastated. 
     Hopefully the money raised will help them get back on their feet financially.  They are good people, the kind that will give you the shirts off their backs. 
     Life is hard, but people are good.  Please help.

Organizer and beneficiary

Debbie Burnham
Organizer
Ontario, NY
Mareka Feely
Beneficiary

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