From Ashes to Hope: Upcoming benefit will aid rebuilding-minded Burt family
A benefit is in the works for a Burt family who lost their home to fire last summer.
'From Ashes to Hope: Help Us Show Love For the Linharts,' featuring Chiavetta's Chicken BBQ, a basket raffle, a bake sale and 50/50 splits, will be ongoing from 1 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Olcott fire hall, 1691 Lockport Olcott Road.
Robin and Bob Linhart's residence on Phillips Road was ruined by fire following a series of explosions in the detached garage on the evening of Aug. 12. Robin, Bob and their multiply-handicapped adult son Jeremy were all at home, around suppertime, when each of them heard one big explosion outside, then another. Then they saw the billowing smoke from the garage, and the explosions continued, as aerosol cans and other pressurized containers became overheated. Three vehicles parked outside the garage began burning, and then, suddenly, the fire came into the house. Robin said it got into the chimney and spread through the attic.
'It all happened in the blink of an eye,' she said. 'Thankfully we were not sleeping at the time.'
While responding firefighters kept the fire contained to the attic, Robin said the house and its contents were ruined by smoke and water. Even the basement is damaged beyond repair, she said.
The point of From Ashes to Hope is to help the Linharts build a new house on the spot where the old one was finally demolished on March 11, almost seven months to the day it was rendered uninhabitable.
Their homeowner's insurance payout has 'trickled in' and the claim is not settled, because the cause of the fire still has not been determined despite multiple investigations, Robin said.
Meanwhile, because Jeremy is enrolled in Medicaid, the Linharts have had to exercise caution when it comes to fundraising. Robin said their county legislator, Shawn Foti, put them in touch with someone at Niagara County Social Services to advise how they can accept gifts 'safely.'
'We are incredibly grateful to the community, our family and friends, for all the help we've received' since the fire, Robin said. 'This community has been overwhelmingly gracious, supportive … I say from the bottom of my heart, this is an amazing community.'
For a while after the fire, the Linharts stayed with one of Robin's sisters whose home is nearby. Today they're residing in rental housing right around the corner from their lot, awaiting the day they can return.
'We want to rebuild there,' Robin said. 'That's where our kids were raised. … That's where all our good memories are.'
From Ashes to Hope is organized by friends of the Linhart family with advice from principals of Rainbow of Help Inc.
At the Olcott fire hall, Chiavettas Chicken BBQ dinners will be served between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. Take-out service is available. Dinner tickets are $16 in advance and at the door; for tickets in advance call Karen Stockton at 716-523-6564 or Pam Bochnewetch at 716-946-0897.
Drawing of basket raffle winners will start at 4 p.m.; participants need not be present to win.
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