Letter: Help for fire victim is appreciated

Greetings to each of you,

I hope and trust this letter finds you in good health and spirits. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of an unforeseen situation that has taken place in the last couple of months.

A few months ago, I began a GoFundMe page with the goal being to help a man named Alfred Smith whose house was destroyed by a fire. As we all know none of us know what tomorrow holds so we are encouraged to help each other as best we can. I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the many of you that contributed to this project and slowly but surely progress has been made. Last month, I became ill and had to be hospitalized for most of June and some of July. Presently, I am at home and attempting to get back healthy with this project taking precedence over everything as soon as I am able.

I felt that it was necessary to make each of you aware of my circumstances because you are the reason this process has been successful up until this point. I will be returning soon to my original capacity to begin work where we left off.

Here is what we have achieved thus far: Single-wide mobile home has been purchased, legal paperwork pertaining to ownership of property completed at no cost, utilities (lights, water, etc.) have been taken care of by a donating sponsor, demolition construction and permit needed have been obtained by a reputable company, current residential placement provided by Winton Inn with his stay for the month of April paid by an anonymous individual who wishes to remain as such.

At present we need assistance to complete the following to finish this project: moving permit and title for mobile home needed, donation of time and/or equipment to move the mobile home from Blackville to Barnwell, monetary assistance for fees incurred at the Winton Inn, tires for the mobile home to be moved successfully, purchase of underpinning for mobile home, a new 911 address, and a final inspection.

Once these goals are completed this project will be complete, and Mr. Smith can then move into his new home. Words cannot express the amount of gratitude and appreciation I have for all your donations, gifts, phone calls, and inquiries from all of you about this project. I have often heard the old cliché ‘it takes a village.’ This is truly an example of a village coming together at a time when it is needed most. God bless you all.

Respectively submitted,

Mrs. Peggy Kirkland,

Barnwell

Editor’s Note: This letter was submitted last week. Peggy Kirkland, the author of this letter, passed away on July 17.