PROCEEDS from a community appeal for the Stace family of Melinga, whose five-year-old son Isaac died after a caravan fire on January 28, were handed over last week.
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Donations of money and goods are still coming in for the family, who had only recently moved to the property from Bingara when the tragedy occurred.
Isaac died when a caravan he was sleeping in caught fire. The only other building on the property at the time was a converted dairy which had solar power but no water pump. When the fire broke out, the family had to use buckets to try to extinguish the flames.
When details of the family’s circumstances came to light after the tragedy, a trust fund was established by local real estate agency, Webb Bros and more than $36,000 has been raised so far.
Isaac’s funeral service was organised by WT Howard Funerals and other local businesses stepped in to help. Manning Florist donated all the flowers, Taree West Bakery took care of the catering, RL Visual Eulogies created a visual tribute to Isaac’s life and Bryce Berridge prepared Isaac’s resting place.
Taree Lions Club also organised members to collect money for the Stace family appeal.
“You simply can’t imagine losing a child,” said Lions’ member Tom Ellis at Friday’s cheque handover.
Stephen Stace, on behalf of his wife Emily and children Sarah, two and William, one, thanked Webb Bros’ Dave Callaughan and Taree Lions Club for all their support in organising the appeal which he said would help ease the burden during this time.
“We really appreciate everything everyone’s done for us,” Mr Stace said, adding the support had been “overwhelming”. He said the family was still deciding whether they would stay on the Melinga property.
“At the moment I don’t want to stay there with all the memories,” he said.