Two large Catholic families are being assisted by their communities and fellow parishioners in Sycamore, DeKalb and Genoa.
Jerry and Sheila Bliujus and their five children lost their Sycamore home in an early morning fire on Oct. 17. Since then, families from St. Mary Parish, where the Bliujus family are active members, along with the Sycamore public school district, local boy scouts and family and friends have rallied to help.
A GoFundMe page was started, a clothing drive was held by the school and gift cards were collected while the family sorted out the details of their home insurance and found a place to live according to Sara Blaser, coordinator of youth ministry at St. Mary, Sycamore.
The following weekend, after leaving the excitement of the Catholic Youth Summit Oct. 25, Don and Teri Wille and some of their 10 children traveled home on the bus sponsored by St. Catherine of Genoa Parish to find their home at 31728 Hillcrest Road in Kingston surrounded by fire trucks from three departments. The house was completely engulfed in flames.
Denise Sanders, campus minister at Newman Catholic Student Center in DeKalb where three of the Wille children are active, said prayers and help began there for the family at the 9 p.m. Mass that evening.
Lori Kedzie, a family friend, has set up a GoFundMe page to assist the Wille family.
Pastor of St. Catherine, Father Donald Ahles, said the entire parish is “focusing on being truly present not just for immediate needs but in all stages of their recovery.”
Father Ahles said the Willes have found a house to rent very near the parish but other needs continue so the parish will take up a second collection for the Wille family at Masses Nov. 7-8 and their regular tithe will also be donated to assist them.
There are collections for both families at GoFundMe.com.
Look for updates on both families in future issues of The Observer.