By 
THE community of Coalisland have come together in an attempt to save Christmas for a local family who lost everything following a fire at their home in the Pineback area of the town on Wednesday.
Shane and Emma Gervin, alongside their four children, three boys aged eight, five and two, and their 12 week old daughter, managed to escape the blaze unharmed with only the clothes on their backs.
The cause of the fire is yet to be established.
Having lost everything, including all of the children’s Christmas presents, a collection was held at the Coalisland Community Hub and Foodbank on Sunday where members of the local community and beyond gave generously.
Co-ordinated by Independent Councillor Dan Kerr and Dympna Heron, Cllr Kerr said the response, even ahead of the collection on Sunday, had been ‘overwhelming’.
“I grew up with the Gervin family as neighbours of mine,” said Cllr Kerr.
“A family member suggested doing something to help so we made an appeal to the community and the response has been overwhelming.”
Cllr Kerr said, to date, there has been a significant number of donations from local people and businesses in the Coalisland and Dungannon area, and more from surrounding counties.
“The community have been extremely generous,” continued Cllr Kerr.
“We have received donations of clothes, money, vouchers and various Christmas presents in hopes of making a difference for the family this Christmas.”
Over the weekend, further donations came from the recently re-established Spunk Rats Motorcycle Club in Coalisland who donated both gifts and a cash sum to the Gervin family.
“It was a very kind gesture from all members of the Spunk Rats to have Emma, Shane and their young family in their thoughts,” said Cllr Kerr.
Following a successful collection at the Coalisland Community Hub and Foodbank on Sunday, Cllr Kerr thanked the community and again noted the ‘overwhelming’ response to the appeal. “I want to thank Coalisland Community Hub and Foodbank for allowing us to facilitate this,” said Cllr Kerr.
“We received so many huge donations both financially and in the form of gifts and there are simply too many individuals, businesses and charities to thank at once”
Concluding, Cllr Kerr said he hopes the community’s efforts will help the Gervin family get back on their feet.
“In the meantime, until they get a permanent home sorted following the fire, we hope that this will help them have and enjoy some kind of Christmas after everything they have been through,” he said.
“If anyone would like to make a donation, feel free to contact myself or the Coalisland Community Hub and Foodbank.”