MONROE - Friends of a family displaced by a house fire earlier this week are organizing a benefit to help them recover what they lost.
The benefit for Richard and Malisa McLoud and their three boys is planned for Saturday, March 16, at Papa Don's Horseshoe Saloon, 1901 10th Ave. Family friends Tina Lepper and Jen Blaser are organizing a bake sale, silent auction, pool tournament and raffle at the event. Local DJ Samuel Laws has offered to entertain the party.
Flames and smoke destroyed much of the McLoud's rental home at 703 20th Street Monday afternoon, after a faulty fuse panel in the basement caught fire.
"My husband just got home from work," said Malisa McLoud. "He grabbed the kids and dog and went outside and called the fire department."
About 35 firefighters responded. Smoke was billowing from the front door by the time they arrived. Fire chief Daryl Rausch said damages were significant but repairable.
The house is going to be torn down anyway, McLoud said. She and her family have been staying in a motel since the fire and are looking for a place to live.
"Neither one of us has been back to work yet," she said Friday afternoon. As for their possessions, smoke or fire damage destroyed "pretty much everything."
The electrical fire started underneath the bedroom of the two oldest boys, Blake, 9, and Bradyn, 6.
"The boys' room is what was completely engulfed," said family friend Tina Lepper. The boys lost all their clothing and toys. The initial calls on Facebook for donations to get the family through the first few days were answered generously.
"Because of Facebook we've found a lot of help," Lepper said.
In addition to next weekend's benefit, she's donating proceeds from an online sale at Scentsy and hosting a "sniffing party" for the scented products at the Horseshoe Saloon next Friday, March 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. To order from the benefit Scentsy sale, visit tinyurl.com/mcloudfam. For more information on ways to help the McLouds, contact Lepper at 608-558-4666.
The benefit for Richard and Malisa McLoud and their three boys is planned for Saturday, March 16, at Papa Don's Horseshoe Saloon, 1901 10th Ave. Family friends Tina Lepper and Jen Blaser are organizing a bake sale, silent auction, pool tournament and raffle at the event. Local DJ Samuel Laws has offered to entertain the party.
Flames and smoke destroyed much of the McLoud's rental home at 703 20th Street Monday afternoon, after a faulty fuse panel in the basement caught fire.
"My husband just got home from work," said Malisa McLoud. "He grabbed the kids and dog and went outside and called the fire department."
About 35 firefighters responded. Smoke was billowing from the front door by the time they arrived. Fire chief Daryl Rausch said damages were significant but repairable.
The house is going to be torn down anyway, McLoud said. She and her family have been staying in a motel since the fire and are looking for a place to live.
"Neither one of us has been back to work yet," she said Friday afternoon. As for their possessions, smoke or fire damage destroyed "pretty much everything."
The electrical fire started underneath the bedroom of the two oldest boys, Blake, 9, and Bradyn, 6.
"The boys' room is what was completely engulfed," said family friend Tina Lepper. The boys lost all their clothing and toys. The initial calls on Facebook for donations to get the family through the first few days were answered generously.
"Because of Facebook we've found a lot of help," Lepper said.
In addition to next weekend's benefit, she's donating proceeds from an online sale at Scentsy and hosting a "sniffing party" for the scented products at the Horseshoe Saloon next Friday, March 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. To order from the benefit Scentsy sale, visit tinyurl.com/mcloudfam. For more information on ways to help the McLouds, contact Lepper at 608-558-4666.