South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum has started a GoFundMe campaign for a South Orange family who lost their home on Prospect Street in a fire at 3 a.m. Wednesday, May 13.
Collum started the GoFundMe for the Crawley-Lenhardt family — Bill, Robin, their sons Caleb and Aidan and their dog Frisco — on Wednesday evening, with a goal of raising $10,000. The goal was increased to $18,000 on Thursday, and about $15,000 had already been raised.
“This community never ceases to amaze me with their generosity,” Collum told the Village Green.
“While we are incredibly grateful that no lives were lost, the road ahead will be long and difficult,” Collum said in the GoFundMe. “The family has been displaced from their home and lost many personal belongings, and they are now facing immediate challenges related to temporary housing, essential necessities, and rebuilding their lives.
According to Collum, the fire, which is still under investigation, began in the basement and spread quickly through the residence. One firefighter suffered a minor burn and was treated and released from Cooperman-Barnabas Medical Center, she said.
“Thankfully, everyone was able to escape safely because their smoke alarms alerted them in time,” she said. “South Orange is a community that comes together in times of hardship, and today we have an opportunity to support neighbors who are facing an unimaginable moment.”
The contribute to the fund for the family, visit the GoFundMe.
The Crawley-Lenhardt family — Bill, Robin, their sons Caleb and Aidan, and their dog Frisco. (Photo courtesy of Sheena Collum, who enhanced it to remove the blur.)
The Crawley-Lenhardt family home after the fire. (Photo courtesy of Sheena Collum)
