Fundraiser for family affected by house fire on Loving Way

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – September 4th was a life-changing day for a Micronesian family in Bowling Green, as they lost their home on Loving Way and their 4-year-old child to a house fire. Now, two local groups are coming together in their time of need.

“As the family comes up with things that they want to have done, we don’t keep adding to the price. We have given them a price, and I told them, I said ‘Once that price is met, then there would be no more charges. If they don’t meet that price, then I will write it off to help them out,'” Kenneth Cone of Cone Funeral Home says.

While the owner & funeral director is covering the service expenses, their church community at Holy Spirit Catholic Church is covering basic necessity items like food and clothing through a partnership with St. Teresa’s Thrift Store.

“The lady that runs it goes to church here too, and we called her and she… normally, they do sell very cheap stuff that’s in there… you might pay a quarter for it or something. She said ‘We’re not going to charge them. Tell them to come in here and get all the clothes they need.’ I said okay… and then we have a Sam’s card and rather than going and getting food because there’s certain kind of things they like that the culturally we don’t necessarily know what that is. We said ‘Okay, here’s the Sam’s card, get what you need,'” Father Randy Howard, lead pastor at Holy Spirit, says.

The work is far from over though, as there’s still expenses that need to be covered as well as finding a new place for the family.

“Our Knights of Columbus here… actually, it’s a men’s organization that’s part of the church… they made a generous contribution to the family towards the funeral expenses… and I also know Kenneth Cone at Cone Funeral Home is accepting donations there to go towards the funeral expenses as well,” Father Howard says.

Cone decided to step in not just because they chose to have the service there, but because he knows how tough this time is for them.

“The last thing they remember is how the child looked when she was taken from the home. That is the memory picture. If we can help soften that, if we can help to begin healing with the funeral service… that’s what a funeral service is supposed to do,” he says.

Father Randy is happy to help a family he knows very well.

“It’s just one of those sad things that happens in life sometimes… and that’s part of what church really means, it’s about the people… the people of the church buildings, the building, and so when something happens, then we respond,” he says.

You can drop off any items or monetary donations at either Holy Spirit Catholic Church at 4754 Smallhouse Road or Cone Funeral Home at 1510 Campbell Lane.