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Support
More than $41,000 was raised by the community for the Prospect Street fire victims. The Prospect Street Fire Fund Committee, left to right: Lynn Bourque, Karen Osbrey, Thomas Borner, Kathi Peterson and Barbara Elliot. Missing from photo: Gary Osbrey. Courtesy photo
Radio/bank
team raises
$41k for fire
victims
PUTNAM — The community raised $41,329.15 for victims of the recent Prospect Street fire in Putnam. In an overwhelming show of support from northeastern Connecticut, the community came forward with donations of $5 to thousands of dollars.
The money raised will be turned over to Interfaith Human Services of Putnam, the all-volunteer organization which oversees the Daily Bread Food Bank, Emergency Fuel and Housing Fund, Clothing Closet and Diaper Bank – all housed at the Living Faith United Methodist Church on Grove Street.
The effort started at 6:02 a.m. Jan. 22 when WINY owner and morning show host, Gary Osbrey, who was at the scene of the fire just one hour earlier, sent a text to Putnam Bank President and CEO Tom Borner, just minutes before he started his morning show. Gary pitched the idea of immediately starting the fund and asked Tom if Putnam Bank would open the account and serve as the fiduciary for the collection. Tom met with Lynn Bourque, senior vice president and branch administrator, to work out the details and at 8 a.m. the account was launched on WINY radio and on their Facebook page.
Donations immediately started arriving at both WINY and Putnam Bank. A special three-hour collection drive was held three days later at WINY. By the end of the day Jan. 25, $18,675 had been deposited at Putnam Bank with thousands in pledges still expected to arrive. The drive was scheduled to end at 5 p.m. Feb. 8 but was extended Feb. 11 due to the blizzard.
The account will be closed and all money turned over to Kathi Peterson, Community Outreach coordinator of Daily Bread and the local Salvation Army, with these simple instructions: “Please distribute the money equitably”. Future donations may be made directly to Daily Bread.