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Dingmans Bar in Bear Lake Township has been an iconic gathering place for friends new and old since the 1950s.
On Tuesday night, January 15th 2019 Dingmans was destroyed by a fire. The loss was horrific to bear lake, it's residents and most of all the owners of 11 years.
I met Bob and Kareen almost two years ago when I moved into their neighborhood . For the first few months neither of our familys were formally introduced. We were only connected by warm smiles and friendly waves as they drove by.
About a year after living next to Bob and Kareen I was hired at Dingmans as a Bartender. I thought it would be a great opportunity to finally get out and meet some locals and hopefully some new friends .
Well it didn't take long to make friends once I started working there. The Dingmans crew embraced me arms wide open , as they often do to anyone who walks through those doors, and before I knew it I felt like I had a second family.
I was home.
This past Tuesday , Jan 15th, that home was taken, not only from me but from us all.
I got the call just after 1:30a, and then a text. With one eye open , half asleep I read "The Bar is on fire, run next door and wake up Bob and momma, I can't get ahold of them" .
Within minutes I had rushed out the door with my brother and over to their house to wake them up.
The minutes in between the time we left their house to the time we got to the bar seemed like an eternity.
Was this really happening?!
As we arrived fire resuce was on the scene . My brother Kevin and I pulled in first, Bob and kareen only minutes behind.
As we stood there watching the black smoke roll off the roof at dingmans i heard car doors slam and the voices of disbelief from Bob and Kareen walking up quickly behind.
For a brief minute we all held on to hope.
In a blink of an eye that hope was gone as the roof opened up and an orange glow arose over Dingmans.
As we stood there and watched, my arm around momma I heard her say "we will never recover from this, we don't have enough insurance, this will literally destroy us".
With every tear my heart was breaking as she spoke.
After hours of watching dreams turn into ashes I made my way home. Emotionally drained I was exhausted. But I couldn't sleep . Momma's words played over and over in my head... "We won't come back from this".
In my heart I knew I needed to do something .
I started this GoFundMe page to help support Bob, kareen and the dingmnas family .
As an outsider looking in I do not know what the financial situation is in regards to the family and do not know wether insurance will cover all the losses. It is not my place to ask. But it is my place to try and help those who have helped me with so much.
I've never met a family so giving without any expectations of anything in return like the Laurence family.
My heart goes out to them and the entire Dingmans family .
On Tuesday night, January 15th 2019 Dingmans was destroyed by a fire. The loss was horrific to bear lake, it's residents and most of all the owners of 11 years.
I met Bob and Kareen almost two years ago when I moved into their neighborhood . For the first few months neither of our familys were formally introduced. We were only connected by warm smiles and friendly waves as they drove by.
About a year after living next to Bob and Kareen I was hired at Dingmans as a Bartender. I thought it would be a great opportunity to finally get out and meet some locals and hopefully some new friends .
Well it didn't take long to make friends once I started working there. The Dingmans crew embraced me arms wide open , as they often do to anyone who walks through those doors, and before I knew it I felt like I had a second family.
I was home.
This past Tuesday , Jan 15th, that home was taken, not only from me but from us all.
I got the call just after 1:30a, and then a text. With one eye open , half asleep I read "The Bar is on fire, run next door and wake up Bob and momma, I can't get ahold of them" .
Within minutes I had rushed out the door with my brother and over to their house to wake them up.
The minutes in between the time we left their house to the time we got to the bar seemed like an eternity.
Was this really happening?!
As we arrived fire resuce was on the scene . My brother Kevin and I pulled in first, Bob and kareen only minutes behind.
As we stood there watching the black smoke roll off the roof at dingmans i heard car doors slam and the voices of disbelief from Bob and Kareen walking up quickly behind.
For a brief minute we all held on to hope.
In a blink of an eye that hope was gone as the roof opened up and an orange glow arose over Dingmans.
As we stood there and watched, my arm around momma I heard her say "we will never recover from this, we don't have enough insurance, this will literally destroy us".
With every tear my heart was breaking as she spoke.
After hours of watching dreams turn into ashes I made my way home. Emotionally drained I was exhausted. But I couldn't sleep . Momma's words played over and over in my head... "We won't come back from this".
In my heart I knew I needed to do something .
I started this GoFundMe page to help support Bob, kareen and the dingmnas family .
As an outsider looking in I do not know what the financial situation is in regards to the family and do not know wether insurance will cover all the losses. It is not my place to ask. But it is my place to try and help those who have helped me with so much.
I've never met a family so giving without any expectations of anything in return like the Laurence family.
My heart goes out to them and the entire Dingmans family .
Fundraising team: Dingmans Angels (5)
Dingmans Bar
Organizer
Pleasanton, MI
Robert Laurence
Beneficiary
Christine Zemke
Team member
Jess Smith
Team member
Joseph Ainsworth
Team member
Shayla Grove
Team member
