• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Sad Evenin

Help Support Ranchers.net:

the_jersey_lilly_2000

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
11,308
Reaction score
1
Location
South East Texas
The oldest went over to a friends house this evenin and when he got back home he said that one of the two stores (both mom n pop type) we have in town was on fire.
It belongs to the parents of one of the boys on our FFA trip. Very nice family just opened it a few months ago, and have worked really hard getting it up and goin. Now it's a total loss. We drove into town, to see if there was anything we could do, but couldn't get up close enuff to talk to them, since there were still fire trucks and firemen everywhere. Perdy much the whole town showed up and sat in the Post office parkin lot across the street from there. I hope they didnt see it as gawking, but as community support. Hopefully can catch them in town tomorrow and let them know that if there's anything at all that we can do to help, we are here for em. They had built another store near their home a few miles out of town, but it just didn't have enuff business to stay open. Hopefully they had insurance, and can just doze the remains down, and move the other one to town. Its a frame structure, so it'd not be too hard to do. I'm sure they are extremely upset right now, and might not be able to see a silver linin thru the cloud of smoke just yet. We have a wonderfully supportive lil community here, gonna try to do somethin to get everyone together and help in some way.
Keep this family in your prayers, thankfully no one was injured durin the fire.
 
If you really want to support them and help them lose the feeling of everyone gwaking you need to keep going back and helping out, bring food ,if they have young kids ask when they need a sitter find out what needs to be done and do it. Dont stop after a week cuz the need will still be there. I am sure yall will pitch in.

Trust me been there and had a bunch of gwakers there is no worse feeling than that. No I didnt have a fire but grandma was found in the middle of the road .....had over 50 people at one time coming and going and looking "at the body in the road" I can tell you who was there and who came back after. Untill you have been in that spot you dont see how it hurts more, you feel like the main event, the show for the day.
 
On our way thru town this mornin, they were sittin in their truck in front of the store, just lookin, tears rollin. I talked with them for a few minutes, ( I also had tears rollin) and told them that we'd be there with anything we can, and if there was anything specific they need don't hesitate to ask. They don't have small children, but this was their only source of income, other than the boy and his dad paintin houses on the side. They do have insurance, thank goodness, but that won't fill in until they are back up and goin. Gonna be a long process, gettin the insurance adjusters out, and then the clean up. But I can't think of anything better to do with my time once we get thru with the shows, I'll be free to help.
Building looks much worse by the light of day, than it did last night. Fire was caused by an old breaker box and old wiring, is what the fire dept. said. I also mentioned the crowd, and that I hoped they didnt think we were gawking, that we were there as a community with support. Wonderful family, with good values, just a set back, they'll come out of it for the better. As will those of us that pitch in to help. The good Lord don't give us more than we can handle.
 
Sad for these people,small town area breeds alot of caring helpful people, our prayers are with them Lilly...and also to you and friend Red Robin!
 
I know th efeeling when it comes to fire. We still havent gotten a house. We only collected a few cents on the dollar to replace the possessions we had in the house. Insurance companies like your premiums but dont like to treat you fairly when you have a claim. But as we have found out as time passes you move on, but never forget.
 
[Hopefully can catch them in town tomorrow and let them know that if there's anything at all that we can do to help, we are here for em.

You should watch for something specific that they need help with and offer to do that. They may feel more comfortable accepting help that way. I have been in the position of neighbors offering to help but really didn't know what I could have them do. At a time like that, it is plenty hard to think how to organize much anything. one of my neighbors offered 3 months later to help set up portable corral panels for my branding. I was so grateful, yet probbly would not have called him or any of the others that just offered to help. I ended up having him help me do another job instead because other neighbors showed up the day before to help me set up the panels.

If they are rebuilding, show up and offer to help on the spot. They probbly could use help setting up and restocking, possibly running after equipment or supplies. For them, it won't be over in a few weeks.
 
Well as of right now there's still that yellow caution tape all the way around the building, nothin much anyone can do until the insurance adjustors get a look at it and tell them what they can do, and when. They had just borrowed the money from the bank to buy the place, and were required to have full coverage. So hopefully they'll get a decent settlement. Then after that, it'll just be dozin the old one down, it's a total loss, nothin left to salvage. just 3 of the 4 outside walls, and half a roof left. But we do have a dozer, and that would save them alotta money havin to pay someone to do it, or rentin one themselves. They aren't sure yet what they want to do, mostly just waitin to see what the insurance does. But soon as they know, we'll be there to help.
 
Somethin else that was brought up, all thru the store they had neat lil pictures, here n there. Stuff she'd collected over the years. Most framed in 8x10s and a few a lil larger. Our daughter decided to print and frame her windmill picture she took a couple years ago, and give them to hang in their new store when it's ready to open.
 

Latest posts

Top