The owner of the house at Park Road and North Shore Road in Lake Cowichan that burned on Dec. 2 is grateful for the way the community has stepped up to offer support.
Lake Cowichan residents were also busy last week trying to find other ways to assist the two men who lived in the single storey three-bedroom home, which proved to be a stubborn blaze for the Lake Cowichan firefighters.
Mike Carver, whose was named incorrect in the previous story, lives in the structure with his stepson, Tom Buyens.
The men are waiting to hear what various insurance adjusters have to say about possible repairs to the house and the replacement of lost or damaged furniture and personal possessions, Carver said.
Almost immediately a fundraising page was set up at https://www.gofundme.com/5fd44mdf but activity has slowed there.
“I haven’t heard anything more of the gofundme page than what you had in the last story but, on the other hand, both my son and me have received a lot of help from friends who’ve contributed clothes and things of that nature,” he said.
This is following a long-standing tradition at Cowichan Lake.
“They are such great people. We’re kind of quiet on the outside but when disaster strikes, they always just come charging forward,” he said.
Is the house salvageable? Will it be renovated?
Those questions are still in the hands of the insurance company, Carver said.
“We’re still going through the early stages of the insurance. We’ve had one estimator in to look at the structural damage already. We’re expecting to have another estimator arrive any day now and he will look at the damage to our furnishings and personal property and make his estimates on that. So, we’re really just waiting to see what will happen with this claim,” he said.
One of the saddest pieces of news following the fire was that Carver had lost his pet.
He was quiet for a moment as he considered if he wants to get another companion.
“Eventually, yes. I find that still hurts a lot. But, yeah, I will get another dog. I miss that companionship, but it will be a different dog. They’re all individual,” he said.