HUNLOCK TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Things are looking up this weekend for a local family who suffered a devastating setback.
A community is rallying behind the family who lost their home to fire.
That fire happened last weekend, but now in just a matter of days since then, their community is helping raise money for the family in their darkest hour.
The crowd that gathered Saturday afternoon at Morgan Hills Golf Course wasn't there to shoot a round of 18 holes.
Instead, they enjoyed corn hole and a chance to win gift baskets donated by local businesses, all for a very good cause.
"This is what we do. This is what our community does. We've had a lot of tragedies strike our area in the Back Mountain here and we always get together and bring people together to support families that are struggling," said organizer Jamie Walsh.
2 injured in Nesquehoning fire, many displaced
The Ulichney Kochanski family's house caught fire early Easter Sunday morning in Ross Township.
The house on Harris Pond Road was left in shambles, forcing the family of four to live someplace else.
For Walsh, helping the family is personal.
"My daughter goes to school with one of the children that lived in that house and so it's a hit, hit very close to home," Walsh explained.
One man says what brings him out is simple.
"I just wanted to come out and support them. They only live a few miles from my house and I was actually going to church on that Sunday morning when it happened, and you know you always feel bad about anything like that happening, but especially in your community you know where it's close to home," said Hunlock Township resident Ernie Morgan.
Morgan also says it's no surprise to him that the turnout was this big.
"When there's a big tragedy or something like this people are always willing to you know jump right in and help out," Morgan continued.
"Just being able to give them a little bit of help they got a long road ahead of them and we're gonna be with them all the way," Walsh added.
Hundreds of people showed up to the event and almost everything from food to gift baskets was donated.
