Two Red Deer families recently visited by tragedy were afforded some small solace this weekend.
Benefits for the Howes, a husband and wife whose deaths in a vehicle collision in February left behind five children, and the Andersons, whose home was ravaged by fire earlier this month, collectively raised tens of thousands of dollars on Saturday.
Krista Howe’s mom was still without the words to describe her feelings a day after hundreds filled Mount Calvary Lutheran Church for silent and live auctions.
“I could have just wept all day,” Sandra Green said Sunday. “It was so touching and so incredible for me to be a part of that, to think that this was all in response to what happened to my daughter and her husband (Brad) and the aftermath.”
The auctions boasted about 400 items, everything from snowblowers to espresso machines to autographed sports memorabilia. Tera Hennig, one of the organizers, said they didn’t have a final fundraising tally, but guessed the final number would be about $60,000.
Green said her family was “incredibly grateful” for the community support.
Krista and Brad had three children by birth and two by guardianship, all between the ages of four and 14. The money raised will go towards their living expenses.
Green’s other daughter, Karla, left her life in Vancouver to move to Red Deer to become the primary caregiver to the children.
“(The money is) to take care of everything that needs to be taken care of: whatever expenses there are for running the house and feeding five kids and buying clothes,” said Green.
A 22-year-old Sedalia man has been charged with impaired driving in relation to the deaths, and his case is still before the courts.
About $10,000 was also raised Saturday in a fundraiser for the Andersons, whose home — famed for its welcoming atmosphere — was seriously damaged in a fire April 2.
The house of Kevin and Estelle and their daughter Courtney, dubbed the “The Anderosa” by family friend and benefit organizer Cal Kellett, was wrecked when a fire started in a barbecue on the deck.
The building was not insured.
“The whole inside of the house is down to the two-by-fours,” Kevin said Sunday.
The family lost “everything,” he said, and they’re more concerned right now with completing the roof and putting in insulation and wallboards than with things like furniture and appliances.
Kevin, Estelle and Courtney have been staying with family down the street, but he said that they’d likely move into the damaged home’s basement — which has been spiffed up with power and heat — on Sunday night.
Besides the money raised Saturday through a silent auction, there’s also cash coming in online through rebuildtheanderosa.com and donations of appliances, building materials and labour from friends, family, employers and even perfect strangers.
Kevin is floored by the outpouring of support.
“Sooner or later it’ll be nicer than it used to be,” he said. “We just have to keep working at it.”
mgauk@www.reddeeradvocate.com