Peculiar community rallying behind family of fallen firefighter and house fire victims
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PECULIAR, MO (WDAF) — Everywhere you look in Peculiar, there are signs of support for two families touched by tragedy.
Take the Lions Club, for example. The Peculiar group is sponsoring a pancake dinner Friday at their community room from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Half the proceeds will benefit Chuck McCormick’s wife and three sons. McCormick was killed Sunday morning when he fell through the floor of a home while responding to the fire with the West Peculiar Fire Protection District.
The other half of the proceeds will benefit the family who lost their home to that fire.
Casey’s gas stations in Peculiar have collection jars on the counters. Meanwhile, customers at Country Mart can use their credit or debit card at checkout to add on whatever amount they choose to their grocery bills as a donation.
Country Mart’s owner said he was inspired to launch the fundraiser after customers and employees pooled their money to pay the grocery bills of some West Peculiar firefighters in the store Monday morning.
The firefighters were buying breakfast for all the crews from surrounding departments who were filling their shifts while they mourned the loss of their fellow firefighter.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be part of it and see the efforts to help the community and the firefighter with the donations and just to be part of that,” Country Mart manager Mark Walters said.
Most of the people giving never met McCormick, but they know what he was willing to sacrifice to help protect others and their property.
“I just appreciate everything they do, and I feel bad for the loss,” customer David Lapham said.
A GoFundMe page for McCormick’s family had raised more than $30,000 as of late Monday night.
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