Dale & Candy's New Start Fund

An eerie feeling woke my parents in the wee morning hours of October 9th. Their home was full of smoke. The power was out. Something was awry. With little hesitation, they carried only what was within reach as they scrambled to get out. No evacuation call. No sirens. Just thick smoke told them it was time to go. 

This was the situation for many families on what was the beginning of a very tragic event. My parents aren't the type to ask for help, which makes it even more important that help is here for them. They have a long road ahead to rebuild the lives that they had made for themselves and their family. They have always been the ones to help others, and now they need that favor returned. 

It is hard to put a dollar for dollar amount on what it will take to replace what was lost. The items range from cheap, to priceless, to invaluable. But material belongings are just that, material. What is needed is the basic necessities for daily life. Any little bit helps in this time of need. 

When some of the dust settled, my parents discovered that they had barely gotten out in time. All that is left of their home and belongings is ash and rubble. This afternoon, when digging where her dresser was, Mom was able to recover a single family heirloom, Grandma's wedding ring. Aside from a couple random trinkets that somehow miraculously managed to survive, this was all that was recovered.