Utah Community Bands Together To Rebuild Neighbor’s Home
Nov 18, 2019, 6:09 PM | Updated: 9:55 pm
WILLARD, Utah — Members of a Utah community came together to help rebuild one man’s house after it was destroyed in a fire earlier this month.
Bill Clausen was at home when his home caught fire on Nov. 4 and said the flames grew out of control in his front room before he could do anything about it.
“I was just thinking what can I save, you know? It was just too warm to get to the doorknob,” Clausen said. “I ran out the other door.”
Clausen’s home was destroyed in a Nov. 4 fire.
Without any homeowner’s insurance, Clausen had little hope of getting his home back — but he didn’t have to worry for long as neighbor Jennifer Johnson and several others stepped in to help.
“The next day, a group of us got together, and said, ‘we’ve got to be able to do something,'” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of people in this community that can dig, (and) can build homes.”
Within days, several donors and businesses had stepped in, offering their services. Neighbors helped clean up the area as a contractor tore down what was left of Clausen’s home.
A contractor tore down what was left of Clausen’s home.
“They have a contractor that will be pouring the footings, and a company that’s donating all the concrete,” Johnson said. “We have companies that are donating the lumber, framers, and roofers to roof it.”
Johnson said the community will still need to come up with about $50,000 to finish Clausen’s home, with the goal to have him move back in by April.
“We love Bill. We love the neighborhood,” Johnson said. “We have some kids in the neighborhood, they did a hot chocolate stand a couple of weeks ago, and they raised $2,059 just from a two-hour hot chocolate stand.”
Neighbors helped raise over $2,000 with a hot chocolate stand.
In continuing toward that $50,000 goal, community members have set up a GoFundMe* page and have an account set up at America First Credit Union. Johnson and others have also organized fundraisers, such as a neighborhood bonfire that will take place at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2, at 90 North 200 East.
“This is a miracle. I never thought this could happen,” Clausen said. “I didn’t know so many people could jump in and be a neighbor, and do what they did.”
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*KSL TV does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
