Compassionate community

Karen Pictou, her boyfriend Trevor Boyd, and three of her four daughters ? six-year-old Jenaya, nine-year-old Sierra and 18-year-old Destiny ? spent time at the Millbrook band office on Saturday following a fundraiser in their honour. The family,...

MILLBROOK - With tears in her eyes, Karen Pictou was overwhelmed by the amount of support she and her family received in Millbrook on Saturday.

Pictou, her boyfriend and her four daughters were displaced from their Tower Road home a week-and-a-half ago due to a fire in the laundry room.

Friends, family and strangers alike came together to raise money for the family through a barbecue and silent auction that included 77 items. Monetary donations were accepted as well. At press time, it wasn't confirmed how much the event raised.

"It's just amazing," said Pictou as people left the band office with their items in hand and their wallets a little lighter.

"Even though it feels like bad luck, we are blessed so much that God sent these wonderful people our way to help make our life better."

At about 3:30 p.m. on June 1, firefighters from both the Truro and Cobequid departments responded to the house fire.

Pictou and her nine-year-old daughter, Sierra, were home at the time.

"The inspector hasn't determined a cause yet," she said, adding the floor of the home sunk from all the water and smoke damage.

"The structure is gone. The floor joists are burnt to a crisp."

Since the fire, Pictou and her boyfriend of three years, Trevor Boyd, were originally staying in a hotel with Pictou's daughters, Sierra, 18-year-old Destiny, 13-year-old Ansala'wit, and six-year-old Jenaya.

Many people in Millbrook and surrounding communities have wanted to make donations such as clothing, but the family wasn't able to take anything because of lack of space in the hotel.

Now, the family is staying in an apartment in Truro.

"I have a newfound appreciation for the community thanks to the support of friends, family and people we don't even know," said Pictou.

"I don't think I've cried for our loss, but I've cried for the generosity of others."

Without having insurance on the contents in the home, the family isn't sure what, if anything, is salvageable because of the severe damage.

"We just want to say a big thank you to all of our friends, our family and the community, especially Debbie Gloade for organizing this and Chris Nasson for helping out. There are just so many people to thank," said Boyd.

rtetanish@trurodaily.com

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