Updated: Community Rallies To Help Fire Victims

Numerous organizations and community members are pitching in to help the two families affected by yesterday's fire.

The Stonington High School Student Government voted to donate $1,000 to Robin Hespeler and her two sons, Jay and Lucas. The boys are students at . According to Richard Walter, teacher advisor for SHS Student Government, students decided on their own to donate the money, which represents one-fourth of their treasury. Students are also working on plans to donate all of the proceeds of this year's Reindeer Games to the family.

The worked with both families to publish a list of supplies, including items lost in the fire. Below is a list for the Hespelers. If and when a list becomes available for the other family, it will also be published.

Donations of gifts cards or cash
Toaster Oven
Microwave
DVD Player
TV
Xbox
Laptop
Telephone
Lamps
Kitchen table set
Living room set
2 iPod Touches
3 queen bedroom sets
Vacuum
Lawn mower
Dog cremation donation
Pots and pans

Donations can be dropped off at the Human Services Department at 166 South Broad St.

At Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, where Robin works, nurses and physicians quickly joined together to raise funds for the family. According to hospital spokesman Michael O'Farrell, L&M is also in the process of gathering clothes and other necessary items. The L&M community will continue working with the family.

"We are truly taking care of one of our own," O'Farrell said.

A benefit dinner for the Hespeler family will be held at the Westerly Elks Club on  Saturday, Dec. 18 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tickets for the spaghetti and meatball dinner can be purchased at the door. $5 for children $10 for adults. 

The Hespelers moved into their home on 2 Bradley St. only a few months ago. On Tuesday morning, the recently renovated duplex across from the Velvet Mill went up in flames. The Hespeler's unit was completely gutted. According to neighbors they lost everything.

The duplex is owned by Richard Montague of New London.

Robin was at work when she received word that her house was on fire. Rushing from the hospital, Robin arrived at the scene still in her scrubs.

The other side of the duplex, while not gutted, was  damaged by water and smoke. Robin Stewart and her husband  Milan Bozanic live in the apartment.

While none of the tenants were home at the time of the fire, the Hespelers' dog, a golden retriever named Sophie, died in the fire. The family's cats are unaccounted for and assumed dead.

The Connecticut Chapter of the American Red Cross worked with both families immediately after the fire, giving them debit cards to purchase supplies and making sure they had a place to stay. According to Sue Rochester-Bolen, senior director of emergency services for the Connecticut Chapter, the Red Cross was continuing to meet with and call the families today to see how they were doing and make sure all of their needs were being met.

According to First Selectman Edward Haberek Jr., both families were staying with relatives, and yesterday each family received financial assistance to buy basic necessities from the Stonington Human Services Department and the Connecticut Chapter of the American Red Cross.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.