After an overheated laptop caused their entire house to burn down on November 21, the Tkachyk family has been blown away by an outpouring of community support.

“We have a roof over our heads, we’ve got a furnished home, it's been an amazing experience and we’re walking through this as best as we can,” says Joyska Tkachyk.

Joyska and her husband Randy live in Sundown and adopted two young girls last year. While this is not how she expected their first Christmas together to look, she feels blessed by all that has been done for them.

Specifically, Joyska thanks Heavenly Pines for their "Pay It Forward" program; an initiative that identifies overlooked needs in the community and attempts to fill them.

Rosalie Stelmack, who spearheads Pay It Forward, says the family was nominated by one of their neighbors. “After we were nominated," comments Joyska, "within 24 hours they were here with some money to help with the basics. Since then they have come twice a day with donations."

This angel was one of the only things salvaged from the wreckage“I made a video and put it on our Facebook page asking people from the community to donate food clothes and funds that they may have,” adds Stelmack, who notes that the community successfully rallied behind the program. Thanks to this initiative and additional help from friends and family the Tkachyk’s now have a temporary home and all they need for the season.

"As we were looking at the house," Tkachyk wrote in an online post, her husband, "Randy showed me this angel. It is the first thing (and likely only thing) that survived. It’s a symbol for us that God will bring beauty from the ashes. He already has."

She continues, “If you ever come across people who are hurting call Heavenly Pines. They have blessed us in more ways than we could ever imagine.”

Stelmack says Pay It Forward will continue fundraising until December 20th to ensure the Tkachyks first Christmas is a positive one.

 

Read more: Piney Fire Caused By Laptop