HELP DEBBIE COOLIDGE REBUILD

Malinda Siegel is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Deborah Coolidge.

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I am a friend and colleague of Debbie Coolidge. Deb lost her family home in a late night fire on August 14, 2021 in Aleknagik, AK. Over the past 25 years, she has raised her three children in this house and cared for and supported her mother, sister, brother and a niece at different times over the years in this house as well. The loss of this family home has been a devastating blow to this good soul who has cared for and helped so many others. The house completely burned leaving only the metal siding visible in the ashes. Fortunately, Deb, her new daughter, her son and her two dogs were physically unhurt but everything else was lost: family mementos, deed to the house, passport, credit cards, birth certificates, clothing, furniture, appliances and also all of the wild game, fish and berries harvested and preserved by Deb to get them through the winter.

Because of the remoteness of Deb’s house, the closest fire department is unable to get there within the required timeframe so insurance companies were unwilling to insure her house at any cost. Despite the lack of insurance, Debbie is determined to rebuild. She will be an active participant in rebuilding but has few funds to purchase materials. The estimated cost for materials to rebuild her four bedroom, one bath home is $100,000.

Professionally, Debbie is a longtime medical provider in her local community and in rural Alaskan villages accessible only by plane. She cared for patients initially as a Health Aide and later as a Physician Assistant. Often, she was the only healthcare provider available and was on-call 24 hours a day for weeks at a time.

Over the past two years, Deb has experienced medical problems herself but this did not cause her to hesitate when asked by a friend who was dying to raise the friend’s 11 year old granddaughter. Deb welcomed the child into her Aleknagik family home as her new daughter and planned to raise her in this community where she could experience and learn about her cultural heritage and customs.

Deb, her new daughter and her two dogs are now staying in a small duplex in Anchorage with her brother and her son. It’s a tight squeeze but she is grateful to have a roof over her head. She is determined, however, to rebuild her home so that she and her daughter can return to the community she loves and has been a member of for so long. Deb’s daughter will be starting 7th grade in Anchorage this fall where she knows no one. She is missing her friends in Aleknagik and also hopes to return as soon as she can.

Now the person who has helped so many others needs help herself. Deb and her new daughter will be so grateful for any assistance you can give, whether donations and/or sharing her story. All funds will be used by Debbie to rebuild a life in Aleknagik for herself and her daughter as soon as possible.

Please support this wonderful woman who has supported so many others over her lifetime.