ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 22, 1995 TAG: 9512220030
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
THIS CHRISTMAS won't be easy, by any means, for members of the Anders family. But their difficulties have brought an outpouring of help from the community.
Shortly before Christmas a year ago, Ashley Anders was diagnosed with leukemia. It dampened the holiday season for the child and her family.
Ashley's leukemia went into remission a few weeks later, but she began limping about two months ago. Her mother, Stephanie, worried that the leukemia had returned.
Then, 12 days ago, Ashley and her family lost all of their belongings in a fire that gutted their apartment on Rorer Avenue in Roanoke. Their Christmas tree and gifts were destroyed in the blaze.
Ashley, 6, and her 5-year-old brother, Brandon, were terrified by the fire, which authorities have said may have been caused by children playing with fire in another apartment. They did not want to go back to their apartment with their parents to see if they could salvage anything.
"They were devastated. Brandon still gets upset when he sees a fire truck," his mother said.
Stephanie Anders was almost overcome with grief and depression herself. Again, the family was facing a gloomy Christmas.
"I lost faith in everything after the fire," she said. "At first, I had no feelings. I just couldn't take it."
But she has been moved by an outpouring of help for the family. Roanoke Catholic School, where Ashley is a kindergartner, has coordinated the collection effort.
"I had no hope after the fire, but the people at the school told me they would help," Stephanie said.
"They have been wonderful. They have done it all. I haven't had to do anything."
Clothes, furniture, appliances and food have been donated. Nearly $6,200 in cash has been collected for Stephanie, her husband, Gary, and the two children. Gary works in accounting for Carilion Health System.
The family, which has been living in a motel since the fire, has begun moving new furnishings into a rented house in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood. Stephanie said the Mount Pleasant Lions Club helped find the house for them.
The family will even have a Christmas tree with gifts for Ashley and Brandon. Roanoke Catholic's athletic association got the Anderses a tree.
Contributions have come from scores of businesses, organizations, churches, individuals - and even children at Roanoke Catholic. Charlie Durham, a first-grader, contributed $55 of his own money to the family.
First Union National Bank donated twin beds for the children. Salem firefighters contributed $500. Nurses at Roanoke Memorial Hospital collected money, towels and other items.
Christian radio station PAR broadcast appeals for help for the family, and contributions have come from Martinsville and the New River Valley.
Someone has donated a king-size bed for Stephanie and Gary. Others have given them a microwave oven, toaster and other appliances. They salvaged a rocking chair from their burned-out apartment, but the other furniture was destroyed.
"We're OK now," Stephanie says, as her voice cracks and she fights back tears. "My faith in God and people has been restored."
Originally, the Red Cross was to set up an account for the family and coordinate the collection of clothing, gifts and other items. But the school agreed to do it because Ashley is a student there and it was easier to coordinate with the family, said Principal Karen Mabry.
Mabry said the school frequently helps families in need during the Christmas season. Students also do community projects to help the disadvantaged, she said. But this is the first time in memory the school has helped a family left homeless by a fire.
Fran Szechenyi, the school's secretary, has been busy the past 10 days answering the phone from contributors and receiving clothes, food and furniture for the Anders family.
"She's the one who has done all of the work," said Vice Principal Susan Thompson. "She deserves a lot of the credit."
Thompson said the response has been magnificent. "This is a very generous community. It is a joy to behold."
Stephanie said former state Sen. Granger Macfarlane has been especially helpful. Macfarlane owns the Colony House Motel, where the Anderses have stayed free since the fire.
"He took care of everything and told us that we could stay there as long as we wanted to," she said.
Because of the generosity of others, Stephanie said, the family hopes to have a good Christmas.
Still, she remains concerned about Ashley and the leukemia. Ashley is not limping much now, and her doctors are hopeful that what they suspected earlier might be a tumor won't be. They have taken X-rays and performed tests, but they have scheduled more after Christmas before making a determination.
"It is a waiting game. That's all we can do," Stephanie said. "I'm praying with all my heart it is not a tumor, and that Ashley will be all right."
LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: CINDY PINKSTON/Staff. Ashley Anders, 6, appears in aby CNBChristmas program at St. Andrews Catholic Church. The Anderses have
found a number of angels in Western Virginia since their home was
destroyed by fire. color.