We are Helen McDougall’s granddaughters, Millie and Daisy, from Mansfield, Victoria. We are raising money on her behalf to support her and the Ruffy community affected by the Longwood fire.

Helen McDougall is our grandmother. All funds raised will go directly to Helen. She will use the money to provide hay, repair fencing, and support families and animals in the Ruffy community impacted by the fires. Helen’s goal is to continue giving back to her community through practical assistance where it’s needed most.

On Friday, 9th of January, Helen lost her home and the Ruffy Store in the Longwood fire. She is 81 years old, a pensioner, and ran the Ruffy Store for over 20 years, making it the heart of the Ruffy community.

Helen evacuated on Wednesday, 7th of January, after a call from her son. The next day, a neighbour called to say they were watching her home and the store burn to the ground. She left with only the clothes she was wearing, a small bag of essentials, and two walking sticks that belonged to her great-grandfather. Everything else was lost.

Today, we went to visit the store for the first time since the fire with Helen. What we saw was just pure devastation. The Ruffy Store, along with so many other homes and properties in the area, were completely destroyed. Driving through Ruffy, it was heartbreaking to see the scale of the destruction and how much the whole community has been affected.

Even now, Helen wants nothing more than to continue supporting the people of Ruffy, including families and their animals affected by the fires. She plans to provide hay, repair fencing, offer relief, and help those who need it most.

The goal is $50,000 to help Helen continue supporting her community through hay, fencing, relief, and family support.

If you are unable to donate, even just sharing this page to create awareness means so much. There is also a separate GoFundMe for the wider Ruffy community, which we encourage people to support as well.

Thank you for caring about the Ruffy Store and the people of Ruffy.

Millie, Daisy, and Helen’s family