‘Deeply touched’ by outpouring of support
Pow wow dancing regalia destroyed in Curve Lake house fire
The woman behind a campaign to help a Curve Lake First Nation brother and sister who lost their home to fire Sunday morning has been “astounded” and “deeply touched” by an outpouring of community support for the fundraising effort.
Susan Wadds created the Help Aggie Rebuild After House Fire online campaign on GoFundMe when she found out about the Mississauga Street fire Sunday morning from her ex-husband Ned, the brother of fire victims Alison and Sandy Benson.
As of Tuesday evening, 100 donors had raised $9,365 to help the siblings. Nearly $6,000 was raised in less than seven hours on Sunday.
“It demonstrates not only how dear Aggie and Sandy are to the community, but how powerful and alive the Red Road is,” she wrote to The Examiner.
Donations have ranged from $5 to $1,000. “I didn’t expect such an overwhelming response … the generosity and caring blew me away.”
Sandy, a traditional men’s dancer, has been a beloved figure on the pow wow trail for nearly three decades, Wadds said. His sister raised her family, daughters Lauren, Victoria and Hilarie in the now-destroyed house.
The fire destroyed most of Sandy’s dancing regalia, including the beautiful quillwork of his
later mother, Sadie, Wadds wrote. It can’t be restored, but many people have donated items including furs, feathers, bone and beads to build a new one.
“While nothing will ever replace the lost photographs and treasures inside the house, donations of clothing and furniture are flooding in from people all over the province,” she wrote.
The siblings also lost their cat, Aggie’s car, Sandy’s glasses and artwork, among other precious belongings, Wadds wrote.
Sandy was treated in hospital for smoke inhalation and Aggie has been shaken by the loss of her home, but Wadds wrote they have began the process of healing.
“It will take time … but at least the caring and love of those who know them (and even some who don’t) will hopefully soothe the heartbreak of loss,” she said.
About 40 firefighters from all five Selwyn Township fire halls were dispatched to the scene at 7:54 a.m. Sunday when a neighbour reported the front porch of was on fire, acting fire Chief Randy Jopling said Tuesday.
The roof of the wood-frame building was collapsing when they arrived – meaning there was very little they could do to save it. Only partial walls remained standing when the last of the flames were extinguished.
The cause of the blaze was determined to be a cigarette butt that had been discarded below the front porch by one of the occupants, he said.
Fire officials did not determine an estimate on damage, but Jopling confirmed that the homeowner did have insurance.
NOTES: As of Tuesday, Help Aggie Rebuild After House Fire had been shared 649 times on Facebook .... To donate, visit http://bit.ly/curvelake