Fundraising surpasses goal for Carolina Beach fire victims

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — It’s been a year since the Carolina Beach fatal fires.

The tragedy is still fresh and one that many people won’t ever forget.

The day after the fires, the Pleasure Island Fire Relief Fund was created by members in the community.

What happened on December 6, 2014 is something still fresh in some minds, but the way the community came together to donate money, items, and time to those impacted was quite amazing.

The community knew they would have to pick up the pieces to ease the pain of the victims and their families, especially the two women who died.

Jasmine McKee is a board member of the Pleasure Island Fire Relief Fund and she says their goal of raising $100,000 was to cover all the funeral costs, medical and veterinary bills, complete replacement of two vehicles, and any fire related expenses for those impacted.

She says it was not possible without the outpouring of support.

“It was just amazing to see how everybody just together to help,” said McKee. “I mean we got donations all over the United States. Just people who had visited it or happened to hear about it. That’s how all the money was raised. I think at 28 days we were right over $100,000.”

McKee says because of that support they surpassed their goal.

They ended the fundraising with more than $120,000.

The extra money was passed on to the Carolina Beach Fire Association where Chief Alan Griffin will purchase fire safety items.

She says the organization has set aside $2,500 in case another disaster were to happen.