Left Without a Home, Red Cross Helps Holland Fire Victim
By: Josh Berry
Updated: June 21, 2012
Two different families were left without homes after a fire destroyed them in the Faulkner County town of Holland.
One of those homeowners would have nothing today without the help of one organization.
Nothing but burned grass and rubble remain across more than fifty acres in Holland. Four buildings in all burned down.
In a rush of adrenaline all Betty Fullerton could think to do was get out. She didn't have time to grab anything.
"I had just taken a shower and gone to bed when flames started to come through my bedroom window," Fullerton explained.
Smoke had filled her trailer. All she could do was grab her keys to leave.
"I could hear my kitten crying but I couldn't get to her," she said. "By the time I got to the road I could see my house going up in flames."
That's when she realized she left with nothing.
But there waiting was the American Red Cross.
"Just seeing the devastation and knowing that there's something we can do through the donations that are provided to us," said Red Cross Disaster Manager, Arthur Ashby.
The Red Cross has a disaster fund reserved for handling situations just like this.
"Any type of disaster that we have whether it be flooding, tornadoes and in this case fires."
In this case, Betty Fullerton lost everything. She lost the camper that held storage and the trailer where she lived in where she lost important valuables like eye-glasses.
That's where the Red Cross helped. They provided Fullerton with vouchers for the glasses, a voucher for clothes and even a debit card with money on it.
"They were there for me," Fullerton said. "All these years I've given to Red Cross because I know the good things that they do and when I needed them, they were there."
The Red Cross can't replace her home. That's something Fullerton will have to handle herself.
"I can start over... this is just things," she said. "And I just go on from here one day at a time.. that's all I can do."
The Red Cross said it would even help her pay a deposit and first month's rent toward an apartment. Fullerton doesn't want that though. She plans to rebuild.
A local church has set up a fund in her name at First Security Bank because her home wasn't insured.
If you're interested in donating or volunteering your time to the Red Cross, click here.
One of those homeowners would have nothing today without the help of one organization.
Nothing but burned grass and rubble remain across more than fifty acres in Holland. Four buildings in all burned down.
In a rush of adrenaline all Betty Fullerton could think to do was get out. She didn't have time to grab anything.
"I had just taken a shower and gone to bed when flames started to come through my bedroom window," Fullerton explained.
Smoke had filled her trailer. All she could do was grab her keys to leave.
"I could hear my kitten crying but I couldn't get to her," she said. "By the time I got to the road I could see my house going up in flames."
That's when she realized she left with nothing.
But there waiting was the American Red Cross.
"Just seeing the devastation and knowing that there's something we can do through the donations that are provided to us," said Red Cross Disaster Manager, Arthur Ashby.
The Red Cross has a disaster fund reserved for handling situations just like this.
"Any type of disaster that we have whether it be flooding, tornadoes and in this case fires."
In this case, Betty Fullerton lost everything. She lost the camper that held storage and the trailer where she lived in where she lost important valuables like eye-glasses.
That's where the Red Cross helped. They provided Fullerton with vouchers for the glasses, a voucher for clothes and even a debit card with money on it.
"They were there for me," Fullerton said. "All these years I've given to Red Cross because I know the good things that they do and when I needed them, they were there."
The Red Cross can't replace her home. That's something Fullerton will have to handle herself.
"I can start over... this is just things," she said. "And I just go on from here one day at a time.. that's all I can do."
The Red Cross said it would even help her pay a deposit and first month's rent toward an apartment. Fullerton doesn't want that though. She plans to rebuild.
A local church has set up a fund in her name at First Security Bank because her home wasn't insured.
If you're interested in donating or volunteering your time to the Red Cross, click here.
