House fire puts family behind on bills

Share the Season is an annual campaign that offers one-time aid to people affected by unforeseen hardships. The people are not identified to protect their privacy.

A family of six children found themselves fleeing for their lives in the middle of the night this fall when their house caught fire.

No one was hurt.

“We woke up just in time,” the mother said.

But they lost all of their belongings. Catching up has been hard.

Share the Season was able to pay some of their bills.

“That helped a lot,” she said. “We appreciate it.”

While the father’s construction work is steady, the mom hasn’t returned to work since taking time off to have a baby.

“I’m still waiting for my job to call me back,” she said, “or find something else.”

The family, with children ranging in age from 2 to 10, also is again looking for a place to live.

After the fire destroyed their house, they lived in a motel. They no sooner had moved into another house recently when they learned their landlord had lost the house in a foreclosure. They have to be out by the end of December.

“We’ve still got some struggles ahead of us,” the mom said, “but we’re trying. What Share the Season did gives us some hope.”

Share the Season is a joint project of The Eagle, the Wichita Community Foundation and the Salvation Army.

So far this season, it has raised more than $106,056.

Send contributions to Share the Season at the Wichita Community Foundation, 301 N. Main, Suite 100, Wichita, KS 67202. To donate online, go to www.sharetheseason.org. If you have questions about donating, call 316-264-4880.

Donors will be listed in The Eagle; please note if you prefer to remain anonymous.

To apply for help, fill out an application at www.sharetheseason.org or pick one up at the Salvation Army, 350 N. Market. The application deadline is Dec. 17. For more information, call 316-263-2769.

Among recent donors: Eric and Debra Larson; Patrick and Betsy Latta; Nancy Lee, in memory of Walter Lee and Vickie Lee; Larry and Kimberlee Leopold; Brett Lewis; Jane and Donald Luellen, in honor of Bill and Millie Lewis; Jane and Donald Luellen, in honor of Nick and Annie Stevens; Geoffrey and Linda Luerding; Myron and C.J. Luttschwager; Michael and Barbara Malone, in memory of Robert Razook; Gary and Deborah Martinez, in memory of Joe S. Martinez; Lex and Judy McClean; Don and Linda McGinty; Randy Nicholson, in memory of Lee, Evelyn Gregory Nicholson and Jeff Sones.

Colt and Julie Oberle; Louis and Florence Ortega; Thomas and Carol Oster, in memory of Jake Oster; Donald and Velma Lee Overeem; Darrel and Diane Pavelka; Corinne Radke; Lewis and Colleen M. Rogers; Charles and Nina Roush; Steve and Lynn Schmidt; Douglas and Pauline Sharp; Rose Ann Sittler, in memory of Richard Kozera; Ronald and Kathleen Smothers; Keith and Aldine Sprunger; Allen Thimmesch, in memory of Mary Thimmesch; Robert and Elaine Todd; Janice Tuttle; Janet Van Epps; Eric and Catherine Vitosh; Peggy Willcut; Claire Williams, in memory of Jack L. Williams; Nadine Williams; Renee Young, in memory of Kevin Peschka.

Anonymous, in memory of Glenn and Dorothy Adams; anonymous, in honor of Stephanie Jennings; anonymous, in honor of my grandchildren and great grandchildren; anonymous, in memory of Jack Davis; anonymous, in honor of Sue May and Janelle Wentz; anonymous, in memory of Mom and Dad; anonymous, in memory of Mary A. Lynch; anonymous, in memory of Pauline Smith; anonymous, in memory of Robert Razook; anonymous, in honor of Jack and Anita Osterman; anonymous, in honor of Ramona Rush and Barry Dickerson; and 27 other anonymous donors.

This story was originally published December 6, 2016 at 2:45 PM with the headline "House fire puts family behind on bills."