Community members are coming together to assist a local family whose home was destroyed by fire last week.

Brighton firefighters were called out just after 7pm last Friday to a report of a home on fire on Chilson Meadows Lane in Genoa Township. Chief Mike O’Brian says the fire had a significant head start because it was well advanced by the time they arrived on the scene just minutes later.

Fortunately the 8-member VanderPlas Family wasn’t home at the time, but the family did lose a cat, while two others survived. However, the home was a total loss, which relative say left them with, “only the clothes on their back.” They have since organized a GoFundMe page to assist the family, which has three girls in college and three boys still in elementary, middle and high school.

The goal is $10,000 with the stated purpose of helping them during, “the long difficult process working with the insurance company and rebuilding their home and all they have lost.” You’ll find that link below. (JK)