Support Wendy & Troy After Total Loss due to Fire

My sister, Wendy Kinneman Dawson, and her husband, Troy, tragically lost EVERYTHING in a fire the evening of 5/20/2025 in Menomonie, WI. They were unable to grab anything from their apartment of 25 years, including their cat, Minerva, while being evacuated by emergency personnel.

While we are all very thankful that no human was injured, sometimes our furbabies are our family too. We are all hoping that somehow Minerva was able to escape the smoke and water prior to the building being completely destroyed and torn down in efforts to contain the fire from the neighboring businesses. If you are in the area, please keep your eyes open. She is a brown Tabby with green eyes and was wearing a pink collar.

With the complete loss of an apartment and all of its contents, the full scope of the devastation to their lives is just beginning to settle and be fully upon them. At this time, the most urgent needs are funds to get them through the next few days/weeks/months of rebuilding their life from absolutely nothing.

There has been amazing support so far of gifted hotel stays, gift cards for necessities, and lots of morale support, but money is what will buy them food, clothes, new glasses, prescriptions, gas for travel, and the never-ending "I didn't think of that" that is bound to come up. They will also be in search of a new apartment to rent, which will need a deposit, 1st and last month's rent, etc.

On top of this horrible tragedy, Wendy and Troy had just arrived home from southern Illinois on Monday evening, visiting Troy's father, who is on hospice, and they used whatever extra monies they had to visit him before he passes.

Please consider donating what you are able. Any amount will help. It takes a village to get through this thing called life, and right now is when a village is needed and very much appreciated.

I will update as I can here with where the money is being used, and if anything is needed immediately. Feel free to reach out to me (Melissa Kinneman Hill) at any time, but please give Wendy and Troy time and space to process and grieve this tremendous loss. I will get the message to them when the time is right and forward 100% of the donations to them.

Thank you for reading this far. Also, a HUGE THANK YOU to all the firefighters that were in the cold smoke and rain attempting to save what they could and all stay safe in the process.

From the bottom of our hearts, the Kinneman/Dawson Families.