Displaced families in need of donations

(Chatham-Kent Fire & Emergency Services)

Many families, who were displaced after the fire at 800 Wallace Street in Wallaceburg on Sunday, are in desperate need of donations.

Virginia Whitmarsh, a member of the Moose Lodge in Wallaceburg, is spearheading a donation drive to help out the families.

Whitmarsh told the Sydenham Current many of the families have been moved to the Day’s Inn on McNaughton Avenue in Wallaceburg.

“I spoke with Chatham-Kent Victim Services and they said they are not allowed back in their building and they don’t know how long they will be out of the building,” she said.

“There are families over there that are in desperate need of personal items. There is a nine-month old baby, a six-year-old girl, and eight-year-old, plus some other children.”

Whitmarsh has also contacted St. Vincent de Paul, who is bringing over food to the families.

“But they need toothpaste, toothbrushes… personal items. Especially for the baby, they need diapers. I’m calling all the organizations in Wallaceburg to see who can donate things.”

Whitmarsh said people can either bring donations to the Moose Lodge,on Duke Street in Wallaceburg or they can be brought directly to the Day’s Inn.

“We were the designated shelter for these people,” Whitmarsh said about the Moose.

“They brought two bus loads of people over yesterday morning. We fed them and gave them water and coffee, dog food and things like that. Then they were bused over to the Day’s Inn at about 5 p.m.”

Whitmarsh said they were preparing for people to stay the night at the Moose, if they couldn’t get into the Day’s Inn.

“Otherwise Red Cross was going to come in and set up cots and things like that for them in our hall.”

Anyone with questions can call Whitmarsh at the Moose at 519-627-8288 or at home 519-627-3563.

Chatham-Kent Fire & Emergency Services officials say $250,000 damage was caused after the Sunday morning blaze.

A total of 25 families have been displaced, fire officials say.

Here is our coverage on the story up to this point:

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