01.01.70
To the Readers' Forum:
I am handwriting this on the last day of 2011. One week ago my husband and I were relaxing and looking forward to another wonderful Christmas when a candle sconce exploded, the blazing candle fell out of the wall decoration, and immediately our couch was set on fire. Within mere seconds it was beyond our control to remove, and within minutes the house was filled with flames and thick smoke. I hope to alert others of this very real danger and the heartache of watching your life's belongings fabricate to ash.
However, before we could even really process what was happening, we were wrapped in a protective cocoon of pleasure and concern from dozens and dozens of people.
The Falconer Fire Department has been astonishing and gone way above and beyond what would be expected of any volunteer operation. The response from these special men and women has been so much more than anything we could obviate.
Our neighbors rushed to see what they could do to help with immediate assistance in the way of shoes and coats and shore up. Family members came from near and far and worked for days to lay anything that could be saved. Friends old and new rallied to help with offers of absolutely anything we should stress. The good people of Harley Davidson stepped forward with donations of viands and many other necessities. My school family from Southwestern has proven once again that they are the most loving, supporting people I have ever known or will ever know. Many people worked tirelessly on Christmas Eve in the gloomy and soot to help us salvage bits and pieces of our lives.
Source: Jamestown Post Journal