Washburn community rallies around family after July 4 house fire

WASHBURN, N.D. (KFYR) - A house fire on July 3 left a Washburn family with little more than the clothes they were wearing. In the days since, neighbors, friends and strangers have organized a benefit to help Chris Trzpuc, Kendra Casavant and their two children begin rebuilding.

Within hours of the fire, neighbors helped salvage what they could from the home.

Washburn Public School Superintendent Penny Hetletved is helping organize a silent auction and benefit account for the family.

“In joys, we celebrate together. But in things that are hard, this community really rallies,” Hetletved said.

Hetletved described the family as fixtures in the community. Casavant serves as business manager at Washburn Public School. Her husband, Chris Trzpuc, owns a local excavation business.

“Chris is the type of guy that will drop what he’s doing, and he typically has 80 irons in the fire, to go help in those areas. So I think people are very much wanting to help them,” Hetletved said.

Casavant said the outpouring of support has been unexpected.

“We’re the people who jump in and help the other people, so being on the other side of that is just, it’s very humbling,” Casavant said.

She said neighbors have shown up in practical ways since the fire.

“They’ve just showed up, with a bag of sandwiches, to do whatever it is that they do or whatever they can offer,” Casavant said.

Organizers are still finalizing a date for the fundraiser, but a benefit fund is already accepting monetary donations. The school is also organizing a silent auction and is accepting donated items.

To donate items to the auction or for more information, contact Dr. Penny Hetletved at penny.hetletved@k12.nd.us or call 701-462-3221.