On Friday the 9th January, Cathie and her husband Michael (Harp) lost their home due to the devastating bushfires in Alexandra.
As their house burned, Harp was on the front lines with the CFA crew, driving a fire truck through the fires during a marathon 24-hour shift. While protecting countless homes across the Shire, word came through about a fire on Halls Flat Road , the fire that would ultimately take their own home.
This was not just a house. It was ten years of love, hard work, and dreams. Cathie and Harp poured their hearts into this home, there was not a blade of grass that hadn’t been remodelled. In a matter of hours, everything they had built was gone.
Now, at 60 years old, Cathie and Harp are facing the unimaginable reality of starting again from scratch, not by choice, but because a fire took everything.
To say they are devastated doesn’t come close. They have shared that they don’t yet know how to feel or where to go from here. And yet, in the midst of loss, the love and support from the community has been deeply moving and incredibly humbling.
This GoFundMe has been created to help Cathie and Harp begin the long road to rebuilding.
Donations will assist with:
* Immediate essentials and daily living costs
* Temporary accommodation
* Replacing basic belongings
* The overwhelming costs of rebuilding after fire
Harp and Cathie have both been longtime volunteers of the CFA and now it’s our turn to stand beside them when they need it most.
Every donation, no matter the size, helps rebuild not just a home, but hope.
Please see Cathie’s Facebook below for more updates.
Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and support.
With gratitude,
Cathie & Harp’s village
Organizer and beneficiary
Cathie Harper
Beneficiary