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Friday, Jun. 26, 2009

Community rallies to help Perry couple that lost home in fire

PERRY — Mary and Bryan Davee have found a silver lining in a fire that destroyed their family business Monday: an outpouring of support from friends, customers and the community.

“Even though times are hard for everybody, people have been reaching out and helping,” said Bryan Davee, whose been humbled by the number of people who are offering to help. “It makes me feel good.”

The fire that destroyed Davee’s Hardwood Lumber, a business founded in 1973 and that Bryan Davee inherited from his father, was started by a lightning strike, Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Noles previously said.

Janice Jodsaas, owner and manager of Our Place at 2131 U.S. 41, showed up Tuesday with some breakfast biscuits the morning after the fire.

She and Kay Jackson are co-sponsoring a fundraiser July 3 at the bar to help the Davees get back on their feet.

“They’re good people,” Jodsaas said.

Chicken dinners will be offered from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Our Place for $5 featuring a leg quarter, two sides, a roll and a piece of cake.

Folks can pick up the chicken dinners to go if they feel uncomfortable with being at a bar, Jodsaas said.

The Macon-based band Southern Crossroads has volunteered its time to perform at the fundraiser at 8 p.m., she said. The employees of the bar also are donating their time and tips that night for the fundraiser.

There will be no cover charge but donations are welcomed, Jodsaas said.

An auction will take place about 10 p.m. that includes NASCAR memorabilia, T-shirts, a new 12-inch miter saw, a new air compressor and pool sticks and cases, Jodsaas said.

All of what will be auctioned off has been donated, and Jodsaas said she expects much more will come in for the fundraiser based on the response so far.

Although the fundraiser falls on a holiday weekend and though there’s not much time to pull it together, Jodsaas said she expects the Davees need financial help now.

Bryan Davee lost everything he makes a living with when the large workshop burned to the ground. Davee said he lost about $60,000 worth of woodworking tools and equipment. He also lost nearly $7,000 worth of finished product, including two custom-built staircases and a mahogany panel.

The Davees are planning to reopen in an adjacent building on their 15-acre property that once housed an antique store.

In the few short days since the fire, friends have loaned woodworking tools, customers have given cash gifts and someone anonymously left a sliding compound miter saw worth about $400 at Davee’s fence.

All the random acts of kindness have given the Davees confidence they will be able to rebuild their business.

“I feel blessed by good friends and good customers,” Bryan Davees said. “They’ve given me a chance to restart my life and continue to do my work. ... It’s all going to work out.”

For more information about the benefit and how to help, contact Jodsaas at (478) 396-3273 or Jackson at (478) 972-8195.

Writer Becky Purser can be reached at 923-3109 extension 243