BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – HOPE is on the way for the Burt family of Sandy Point who fell victim to a devastating fire last Saturday (Feb. 13), as the people of Sandy Point have joined forces with community groups, businesses and the Red Cross to set the distraught family back on its feet.
The family lost everything to the fire and although immediate efforts to were made to extinguish the deadly flames, it tragically claimed the lives of two of the family’s youngest. The disaster displaced four adults and their children.
In a recent interview with SKNVibes, Coordinator of the relief effort and member of the Sandy Point-based Community Improvement Personal Empowerment Organization (CIPEO) Cyndie Demming informed that plans are coming along well and hope for the family is within reach.
A bank account named ‘Burt Family Relief Fund’ with an account number 122301278 has been opened at the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank, Sandy Point branch and all monetary donations should be lodged in that account to assist the family.
“CIPEO has already contacted the Sandy Point Building Contractors to get work on the home started on Saturday [Feb. 20]. We are accepting building materials: doors, plywood, windows, tiles, paint, anything that you can donate so that we can quickly renovate the home,” Demming said.
Large private sector companies including TDC, SL Horsford & Co. Ltd., St. Kitts Cooperative Credit Union, Lutron Liamigua, Kajola Kristada Ltd, St. Kitts Brush Company, Harowe Servo Controls Ltd. and The Cable have been written to with the aim for them to join the cause of relief.
Other businesses will be contacted within the course of this week.
Demming noted with satisfaction the response she has received from community members, social groups and larger organizations that have jumped onboard to support the Burt family.
“The community effort is the all-important factor. In fact, the same community effort and cooperation that we saw on the night of the tragic fire is the same cooperation and support we are seeing in trying to restore hope in the lives of this family.
“We are pleased with that. We have since the fire been receiving boxes of food and clothes and we encourage the community to continue donating to the cause,” Demming said.
CIPEO has already paid a cheque of EC $1600 to Caesar’s Store, Sandy Point to cover school supplies and uniforms for the affected children. Churches including the St. Anne’s Anglican and the Unique Touch Christian Centre have also made significant donations to the family.
Even greater assistance was brought in by the St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross. District members from the organization visited the scene on Sunday morning (Feb. 14) to assess the damage and to determine what help could be offered to the victims.
A press statement released today (Feb. 16) gave an account of the work the Red Cross has already begun doing to bring relief to the family following the devastating fire.
“A number of relief items were distributed to the survivors. These items included 5 kitchen sets, 5 family kits, 4 tarpaulins, 2 mosquito nets and a bale of blankets. The Red Cross volunteers also collected information relating to the actual losses with the hope that further assistance would be forthcoming from members of the local community and the general public at large,” the release reads.
Repair and renovation of the home begins this Saturday (Feb. 20) and community members are invited to lend a hand. Refreshments will be made available to volunteers as the community aims to repair the home and return the family to its shelter within a month.
