Help KK and Herbie Rebuild After Devastating House Fire

I'm Stayce Cavanaugh. I met my dear friend Kristin "KK" Kahler at an art gallery in Venice Beach in 2011, and we've been friends ever since. When the Palisades and Eaton fires swept through LA this week and I was sharing GoFundMe's, she wrote me, heartbroken that she couldn't help our friends affected, because days earlier, she'd lost her own home and beloved pets to a house fire in Montana. This is why I'm making this GoFundMe for KK.

On Monday, December 30, 2024, at 5:30 a.m., KK awoke to find her Montana home engulfed in smoke and flames. With only moments to spare, she kicked down her door to escape with her beloved orange kitty Herbie. Tragically, several of her other cats did not survive the fire.

KK dedicated decades of her life to the SoCal community before moving to Montana during the pandemic to pursue her passions for nature and horses. Now, with everything lost - her home, possessions, art and irreplaceable memories, and most heartbreakingly, several beloved pets - she faces the daunting task of rebuilding her life from scratch. Yet even in this darkest moment, she continues to care for the cats and horses and other animals that depend on her.

She needs our help to:

- Secure temporary housing

- Replace essential items (clothing, personal care items, basic furniture)

- Begin the process of rebuilding or finding a new permanent home

- Cover veterinary care for sweet Herbie, who survived their harrowing escape

- Replace equipment needed for her animal care work

That's KK - always thinking of others before herself. Even now, far from our community and support system, she needed convincing to accept help. Her first thought wasn't of her own devastating loss, but of her inability to help friends affected by the LA fires.

Our Goal: $25,000

Here's how your donation will help KK rebuild over the next 3-6 months:

- $50 helps replace essential winter clothing or personal care items

- $100 helps with Herbie's ongoing veterinary care and pet supplies

- $500 helps cover a week of temporary housing while KK searches for a permanent solution

- $1,000 helps replace basic furniture and household essentials

- $2,500 helps secure longer-term housing with security deposit

- Any amount helps KK and Herbie regain stability and continue their vital work with animals

How You Can Help:

- Contribute what you can to this fundraiser

- Share KK's story with your networks

- For non-monetary donations (winter clothing, household items, pet supplies), please contact me for her mailing address

[I will post updates here as KK begins her journey to rebuild]