Valley family could use a little help after losing home to fire

While most people are celebrating Christmas today, one Valley family is trying to pick up the pieces of their lives.

Just a week before Christmas, their Big Lake area trailer burned to the ground. Everything the family owned -- including all the Christmas presents for the four children -- was lost in the blaze. Hope's Helping Hands is trying to help the family in this time of great need.

The family's 14-year-old girl needs clothing. She is a size three and wears an 8 1/2 shoe. She enjoys N'Sync and O-Town CDs, is into retro clothing and was hoping for glitter makeup, hair accessories, a curling iron and a blow dryer for Christmas. A gift certificate to the salon next to Kash's Carpets was also on her Christmas list before the blaze.

The 11-year-old boy is also in need of clothing. He wears a 29/30 jeans and large shirts. On his Christmas list were Legos, astronomy items and sports games for a Gameboy.

The family's 4-year-old boy needs clothing in the size 5-6 range, in both shirts and pants. He wears a size 11 youth shoe. He loves Lego construction sets and movies of Barney and Disney.

The youngest child, a 1 1/2-year-old girl, needs size 5 shoes and size 2T outfits. She enjoys toy phones, keyboards and musical-noise making toys.

Dad wears 34/34 jeans and extra-large shirts. His shoe size is 12. Mom wears pants that are size 12 long or 32/34. Her shirt size is medium, and she wears shoe size 10-11.

The family lost all of its belongings in the fire.

Needed household items include a television, VCR, dishes, pots and pans, silverware, appliances, utensils, bedding, beds, pillows, blankets, linens, towels and alarm clocks.

Items may be donated to the Hope's Helping Hands program by dropping them off at the Frontiersman.

The items are then donated directly to the family. Monetary donations are also accepted, with every penny going to the family.

If you would like to nominate a person for help through the Hope's Helping Hands program, drop off a brief description of the circumstance and the family to the Frontiersman. All nominations are reviewed by a panel.