April 24, 2009

Town rallies to help fire victim rebound

By Kathy Gray
of The Chronicle

     When a home burns down, photographs of the flames often have the most dramatic impact on newspaper readers, but sometimes the rest of the story gets lost in the next day’s news.
     Gina Wilcox, a longtime Moro resident, was out of state attending her daughter’s wedding April 17 when her home caught fire.
     “The house was a total loss,” wrote John Waldron, one of Wilcox’s Moro neighbors. “It was not insured due to the age and condition of the house. It was a very cute place and Gina is a blessing to our town. Her kitty named ‘Pearl’ perished in the blaze.”
Moro, South Sherman and North Sherman volunteer fire departments helped fight the fire, but community efforts didn’t end there.
     “What Ms. Wilcox wanted people to know was how the citizens of Moro and Sherman County rose to the occasion and helped her,” Waldron said.
     Lisa Scott of Moro loaned her the use of a small mobile home for Wilcox to stay in until she can get set up again. Scott also made a list of all the things a person might need in a home — things people might not think of like toothpicks and shampoo — and posted it at Huskey’s Market in Moro.
     “The list was filled in about five hours,” Waldron said. “Donations of cash and food and other household goods have come in from all over the county.”
     Carl Langston arranged for the demolition and clean-up of the property. Others arranged for use of heavy equipment, storage for donated goods, sifting through debris for lost treasures.
     “Gine wants to thank all the people of the area for their generous help and support during this time,” Waldron said.
     Additional donations may be made through the Moro Presbyterian Church.
     “I would also like to say what a wonderful place our town is,” Waldron added. “We have our squabbles, like anywhere else, but when one of our own has a disaster, our people always rise to the occasion, no matter what.”