Community bands together to aid fire victims
Aug. 14—Editor's note: This story was written prior to Saturday evening's incident in Berwick. We are running it as prepared for the benefit of those organizations still planning fundraiser events. Check timesleader.com for updates.
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In the days since the borough of Nescopeck's world was turned upside down after a house fire left 10 people dead, tokens of remembrance have begun to pop up on First Street.
Surrounding the pile of rubble and debris that once stood as 733 1st St. lay flowers, balloons, pictures and more items placed in memorial of the victims.
The people of Nescopeck are reeling after the loss of friends, neighbors and loved ones. But in the face of unimaginable tragedy, the community has banded together to help those who lost everything begin to rebuild their lives, to pick themselves back up.
"I have kids myself, I couldn't imagine losing a child," said Mel Stoker, owner of Mel's Bar and Grill in Berwick, just across the river from Nescopeck. "When something like this happens, everyone pulls together ... it's amazing."
Mel's Bar and Grill is one of the many businesses that have rapidly organized benefit events and fundraisers to help cover funeral expenses for those lost in the fire, and to help the survivors that lost everything when their home went up in smoke.
In Stoker's case, it was an already planned event that she was able to turn into a fundraiser for the fire victims.
"We try to do some kind of benefit every month, we had a cornhole tournament planned with the Teen Center, an amazing organization," Stoker said. "When this happened, we changed things around a bit."
The tournament will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Initially planned for a noon start time, Stoker moved it back to make sure that the tournament wouldn't interfere with the funeral services for Star and Dale Baker, two of the victims from the fire.
Intoxicology fundraiser
Like Mel's Bar and Grill, Intoxicology Department is another area bar and restaurant that swiftly jumped into action, throwing an all-day event on Saturday featuring water ballooon fights, music, raffles and more to raise money for the victims and survivors of the fire.
Lauren Hess, the bar's owner, is a mother herself, and said that when she heard the devastating news, she knew she wanted to help.
"I'm so proud and thankful for the support, it's awesome watching everyone dig into their hearts and help out," Hess said.
Hess had been accepting donations for the event in the week leading up to it, and the community came out in full force. A $1,000 check dropped off by the Penitent Sons Motorcycle Club nearly had Hess in tears.
"People we don't even know have reached out to donate," Hess said. "I'm very proud...this is a small community, but we are mighty."
'I've never seen anything like it'
Along with Star and Dale Baker, who were siblings, Friday's fire claimed the lives of David Daubert Sr., Brian Daubert, Shannon Daubert, Laurann Daubert, Marian Slusser and three juvenile victims who weren't identified in a release sent out by the Luzerne County Coroner. The juveniles were aged 5, 6 and 7 years old.
The first calls for the blaze rang out early Friday morning while most were sleeping, like neighbor Bob Slusser over on Ridgewood Avenue, within eyesight of First Street.
"I didn't know what was happening at first," he said. "I woke up, and I saw the lights and sirens."
It was a stunning sight to behold, and a tragedy that has hung over the community in the week since.
"It's been pretty on edge around here," Slusser said. "It's such a shame, to have something like this happen, especially with the children."
Nescopeck fire chief Henry Knorr said that the fire was as bad as any he's ever seen in all his years with the department.
"I've been a firefighter for about 33 years, I started when I was 14 years old," Knorr said. "I've never seen anything like it."
Knorr's wife, Heidi, serves as the secretary for the volunteer fire company, and was one of the first onscene Friday morning to help out.
It didn't take long for her to start making plans to accrue donations.
"I think it was within the hour that we started thinking about it," Heidi said. "I knew that we needed to do something."
The fire company is currently accepting donations of food and clothing as well as monetary donations, of which donors could contact Heidi or drop off supplies at the firehouse. Additionally, the firehouse will host a spaghetti dinner in partnership with Berwick's Reliance Fire Department on Sept. 17.
In the days since the call for supplies went out, Knorr said that her phone has barely stopped ringing.
"It's truly inspiring, I'm truly honored to be a part of this community," she said. "We hear about all the evil in the world, but this week has shown that there's still so much good in the world."
GoFundMe raises over $26K
While fundraisers have begun popping up all over both Nescopeck and Berwick, a GoFundMe account started by Robin Massina, daughter of Nescopeck mayor Larry Massina, has also made a huge impact in the community's effort to provide for the fire victims.
In just eight days, Massina's fundraiser has raised over $26,000 from over 500 different donors, with many donors leavings word of condolence on the page, as well.
Massina said that she was at First Keystone Community Bank when they opened on Friday to discuss setting up an account for the victims.
"I knew I had to do something and I've helped organize events before," she said. "So I went to gather the one thing I knew they would need now and down the road."
The money raised by this GoFundMe will be used for funeral expenses and to help the survivors with food, clothing and everything else they need to survive. The goal, Massina said, was to pay off all 10 funerals and make sure that every survivor's needs are met.
The fundraiser can be found at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-nescopeck-house-fire.
A bank account set up at First Keystone is also available for those looking to make a monetary donation, with every cent donated to this account going toward the victims and survivors of the fire (GoFundMe does take a small percentage of accumulated funds from its fundraisers).
Massina was quick, just as everyone else chipping in their time and effort to help has been, to highlight several of the other fundraising efforts happening around town.
"At the scene, food was dropped off, water was dropped off. Clothing donations came in instantly," Massina said. "There are also so many amazing benefits being organized...so many business are pulling together, the community is pulling together.
Like the Knorrs, like Lauren Hess and Mel Stoker, Massina noted it as a point of pride to be from a borough so full of love, and so full of people ready to jump at a moment's notice to help those in need.
"It's been overwhelming and inspiring to just see compassion from the locals and strangers from all over," Massina said. "We as a town are pulling together and I am so proud to be from the little town of Nescopeck."
The effort continues
As the days pass, more fundraisers and benefits are popping up.
Last week, Bandit's Roadhouse collected an assortment of donated gift cards for the victims. The Dollar General store located just outside of Nescopeck has put out a donation box for customers to fill.
On Aug. 28, a basket raffle held at Crispin Field in Berwick by the Berwick Youth Football League will raise money for the victims.
The following Sunday (Sept. 4), the Salem Township Fire Department will hold a fundraiser at the Beach Haven carnival grounds with a car show, a motorcycle ride and more. On Facebook, Berwick mayor Tim Burke said that over 50 raffle baskets had already been pledged, with that number expected to grow.
Separated by the Susquehanna River but joined together in grief and compassion this week, the people of Nescopeck and Berwick will undoubtedly continue to fundraise and put their heads together, anything to ease the minds and help those who need it most.
"We could never bring them [the victims] back, but we can rally around the survivors," Hess said. "We could make sure they know that they aren't alone."
