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Focus
September 14, 2018
Prospect Heights fire causes commu Clothes, furniture, money and time donated as reside The community’s response to the damage By Kamila Walus Focus Editor
Many families, including WHS students, were displaced after a young boy allegedly caused the fire by playing with a lighter at the River Trails
Condominium complex in Prospect Heights on July 18th. After the fire caused an estimated $10 million in damage and 96 units were damaged, many families were left with almost nothing. After the fire made the news, the community was very quick to organize many donation spots, including Lakewood Chapel, St. Alphonsus Church and non-profit organization Catholic Charities USA. District 214 raised over $30,000 dollars for the victims of the fire, Hebron Church raised $5,000, and the city of Prospect Heights distributed over $10,000. Svetlana Fastovskaya, Social Worker, said, “All of the community came together like there was no tomorrow. I think the only other time I remember that happening was 9/11.”
19 current students at WHS, and 5 students that had already graduated were involved and affected by the fire. Each student received a $500 to
either their choice of Walmart or Target. The entire families of the student victims got their beds replaced by the school, the fees of past years and for this year were paid off, school iPads were replaced and each student received a new backpack filled with school supplies. Many families received new items through donation spots, including the ones listed above. Thomas Scotese, assistant principal, said, “Everyone came together in such a nice way; It was so heartwarming.”
Although many families’ personal belongings were destroyed, every person in the building safely evacuated, and there were no fatalities.
A look into the students’ experience By Kamila Walus Focus Editor
Due to the privacy and respect of the victims, names of the students have been changed to student A, B and C. The fire that took place at a condominium complex this summer was home to 19 students that currently attend WHS. The event shook many people, as it was never expected to happen. It took many by surprise, such as Student C. Student C said, “I grabbed my cat and left, I didn’t even grab shoes or anything.” Others didn’t have much with them because they weren’t home during the fire. Student A said, “It was just ourselves and our phones for a couple weeks,” after explaining how they came home from eating out for lunch and seeing their part of the building on fire. All the families evacuated the building,
but had to stand outside behind the fire trucks and police cars and watch the event unfold. Student B, said, “After a couple hours [of the fire burning], I was looking at my house and then I saw smoke coming out of my windows. Then, I knew my house was going to be damaged by the fire too. It felt really bad. I started crying, and I started thinking about everything I took for granted all the time, how I didn’t appreciate what I had. It really hit me hard, harder than I ever thought it would hit me.” After the fire, many families didn’t have a place to stay for the night. Student B stated that one of the members of the board of directors of the building let her family stay with her, but currently lives in the manse at
the Village Presbyterian Church in Northbrook. Student C stayed at various hotels, and Student B’s dad was quick to find a new apartment for the family to stay in. The community was very quick to reach out and help the families affected. The school, local churches and park districts helped to raise money. Student C said, “From the school, we got the beds and gift cards. I didn’t even want to accept anything. It felt really weird accepting all these things.” Student A felt very appreciative of everything her family received. After explaining how people responded to her situation, she stated, “I never would’ve thought this would happen to me, so seeing how many people donated made me really happy.”
Have you ever donated or contrib “Yes, we’ve donated to the Salvation Army. People need stuff that we have a lot of,” Allison Wong, freshman, said.
“Yes, it felt good to help out. It feels like you’re making an impact or changing something for the better,”Nicole Koutun, sophomore, said.
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Focus September 14, 2018
unity to concentrate on contributions
ents and volunteers help those affected by the fire
A real estate warehouse opens up new beginnings for families
By Kamila Walus Focus Editor
Recovering after a tragedy is a very difficult thing to do. Seeking and receiving help is the exact thing that many families had to do. Jim
Kelly helped make sure victims recieved a new breakfast table, a new mattress, new chairs, and anything you can think of. A devoted Christian who attends church regularly heard about the fire victims and the clothing and personal items drive that the church did for them. “I could not stop thinking about how these families lost everything and would continue to need support through both financially and physical needs to resettle in new residences,” Kelly said. He reached out to Sue Elleson from Lakewood Chapel, the forefront in providing help for the fire victims, as well as his own parish staff. The idea of collecting donated furniture and providing it to the families himself was soon born. “I came to realize that the journey for the families would be weeks or even a few months before they found resources for all their needs and would be able to re settle in new housing,” Kelly said.
Working for a real estate company, Kelly contacted managing partner Tim Beechick to try and see if he could vacant space to use to col-
lect, store and distribute donated furniture. Space was approved for use, and then he reached out to the owners of Route 12 Rental and they offered him the truck for transportation of the furniture free of charge during the weekdays. Sue gave Kelly three pages of handwritten notes that people had written, offering to donate sets of furniture and home goods. Kelly decided to focus on making sure people receive the basics first, like a bed to sleep on, tables to eat at, and chairs to sit in. The next step was to figure out how to reach out to families in need, and how to manage what families need what and how to distribute the furniture properly. He reached out to high school and grade school districts social specialists and staff because school was going to start soon and students would be in need of supplies. Deliveries have been made to families that have relocated into new apartments, and as more families relocate, more furniture is distributed.
Kelly’s formerly vacant space is now filled with furniture and he manages what comes and goes as the need for new furniture fluctuates.
“Seeing the smiles on the faces of parents and kids as volunteers move good condition furniture into their new apartments has been the most rewarding part of this effort and is what keeps me going,” Kelly stated.
Photos Taken By Kamila Walus Left: Chairs in the warehouse donated by Buffalo Grove High School Middle and Right: Volunteers lifting a donated couch into a rental truck on Friday, September 7th.
buted to a fundraiser or charity? “I donated to a relief organization for starving children in Africa. I believe that the work of charity does more than the foreign aid of the USA, so I felt it was a solid cause,” Gabe Clisham, junior, said.
“Back in Cub Scouts, we made a lot of food for the homeless. We made sandwhiches and stuff,” Fernando Olvera, senior, said.
“Yes, I recently donated to the fundraiser that Wheeling had for the fire to help those who are less fortunate,”Erin Hibner, English teacher, said. Photo Opinion by Ana Cozariuc