Local News

omak schools fire help

Feb 02, 2016

From fully furnishing a home to sending a box of donations to a family in need, good things are still happening for families who lost their homes in the Okanogan Complex wildfires last summer.

For the Barnaby family, that support has been enormous, and it wasn’t all local.

Project Director and Grant Writer Racie McKee at the Omak School District has been networking with colleagues and friends across the state to help ever since the fires hit. One of those connections brought help through Washington Strong Joshua 1:9, a non-profit started by Rainy Neevel, a 12-year-old who lost her own home to fire a while back.

The group focused on the Barnaby family – parents Amber and Cubby and children Christina, 15, and Everett, 10. They lost everything in the fires. Amber is the Indian Education Advisor at East Omak Elementary.

After months of waiting, the Barnaby’s new manufactured home was delivered Jan. 26. All they needed was some things to put in it.

Neevel’s fundraising efforts led to enough support to fully furnish the Barnaby home. The family was also given $2,000 to help with other expenses.

“I always hoped that if ever a tragedy such as this was to happen to us, that we would have enough support and help from our friends and families that we would be okay,” Amber said. “But what I never thought of was the tremendous support from strangers, people we had never met or even knew of!”

The awesome support from numerous people in the Barnabys’ lives has led to a change in perspective and a closeness that they never had before.

“As much as this was a huge tragedy in our lives, in a way, I'm thankful,” Amber said. “Thankful for the process which has allowed us to be open-minded and accepting to change. Thankful for the good people in life, and the road which has led us to new friends and new beginnings. But mostly thankful to still be here, able to talk about my experience and prove not only to others, but myself, that life goes on. We all have way more strength inside us than we will ever know.”

McKee has also been connected as the Washington Strong group is pursuing help for another family. Omak student Sage Bedard and his father Clay lost everything in the fires as well. The group is applying to a charity in the Lynden area for a donation large enough to buy a vehicle for the family.

McKee has also received a box of donated housewares from the Puget Sound Educational Service District and her colleague Liz Chick. It went to Edward V, whose home was also lost, but who now has a home at the Third HUD housing project outside Omak. Elementary students from Puget Sound also included personal cards for the family.

“It feels good to be part of a network that supports and helps each other,” McKee said. “Great things are happening one kid, one family at a time with support from caring people statewide.”

More information about Washington Strong Joshua 1:9 is available on their Facebook page.