Considering no one was injured, to Vanessa Morris, being out of her home because of a fire is largely an inconvenience.
But two other renters were not so lucky and she has set up a Go Fund Me account to give them a helping hand.
Vanessa and her husband Cameron have been out of their apartment above the Shuswap Pie Company since a June 4 fire filled their home with smoke.
“I was just coming back from a trip, but Cam was at home,” says Vanessa of the 11 p.m. blaze that began in the kitchen of one of three other apartments in the building. “Cam woke up to a smoke alarm. He tried to get out through the front door but there was too much smoke, so he went out our kitchen window and went from the roof to a dumpster.”
Relieved everyone in the three apartments escaped the fire safely, Vanessa is also happy she and her husband have rental insurance.
“We’re so thankful, it’s such a blessing,” she says. “But we learned the other two tenants don’t and our hearts go out to them.”
Vanessa says she and Cam were able to have all their clothing, bedding and towels cleaned, an expensive proposition covered by their policy, but others aren’t as fortunate.
As of last Friday, there was $1,074 in the fund, she said, noting her employer, the owners of the Barley Station and Wicked Spoon Tap and Grill gave her gift cards for the two tenants.
“If we could raise enough that they could pay for one month’s rent, that would be awesome.”
Vanessa is not sure when the building will be ready for occupancy again and invites anyone who would like to help Jillian and Earl to donate at www.gofundme,com/wn8zzek.