On Tuesday January 7th in the early morning, Paula and Greg awoke to see flames on the upstairs balcony of their home in Discovery Bay. They had put out a chimney fire the previous afternoon, and called the fire department to check for further issues. The firemen investigated and remained for some time afterwards, but did not detect any heat sources and eventually gave the okay. Unfortunately, there were hidden embers that reignited the fire overnight. A good deal of the upstairs was lost, and everything downstairs was damaged by water and soot. Fortunately Greg, Paula, the dog and the fish were all able to evacuate without injury, the garage was not involved, and the fire did not spread to neighboring homes. Insurance will cover much of the loss, and will provide help for a temporary rental, however rental assistance will not cover even a 1-bedroom apartment in the Bay Area (especially with a dog,) and there are immediate expenses that will take time to reimburse from insurance, or may not be covered at all. Greg is disabled, and Paula works at home. They are currently staying with close friends, but will eventually need their own space while they await the long process of rebuilding. We understand that this is a time when half of California is burning, and our resources are stretched, but If you can, and feel moved to help with their more immediate or longer-term expenses, anything would be helpful. Prayers and good wishes are also welcome. Thank you so much.