Touching gesture to fire victims

By Alison Noonan
A SELFLESS donation from a grade prep student to a Hampton Park family that lost everything in a house fire last week has moved an entire school community to tears.
Kilberry Valley youngster Zoe offered her monetary award for perfect school attendance to fellow student Elliott Luke at a special school assembly to raise funds for the devastated family on Friday.
Father Dennis Luke caught his wife and two young children in his arms as they jumped off the second storey balcony after fire engulfed their Templer Avenue home in the early hours of Sunday, 28 August.
Their home of 18 years was completely destroyed by the blaze.
Mr Luke said Zoe’s donation was just one of hundreds of random acts of kindness the family had received from the local community since the tragedy.
He said he was overwhelmed by the generosity and support shown to the family by complete strangers, including donations of furniture, food, clothing and even transport.
“The support has just been amazing. It has really hit home,” he said.
“Someone said to me they weren’t surprised at the level of community support because of what a close knit community we are here.
“It’s unbelievable.”
Mr Luke said that although Friday’s school visit was originally planned as a fundraising opportunity, he and his wife took the chance to impart some “lifesaving” fire safety advice to the students.
“We didn’t want the visit to be all about us,” he said.
“We wanted to turn it into a fire awareness day because that’s what saved our lives.
“And it seems that the message is definitely getting across. L.J. Hooker in Hampton Park said they have had heaps of people coming in wanting fire plans, local supermarkets have been running out of batteries and people have been updating their home and car insurance.
“It is so important that our fire message gets across.”
The woman leading the public appeal for the Lukes, Glenda Marsden, said that while community support had been great in the days following the fire the family was still in desperate need of more donations.
“They still need a lot more food, clothing, bedding, vouchers and cash donations,” she said.
“I am calling for local businesses to also get on board and help.”
Casey mayor Neil Lucas, who attended the school on Friday, described Zoe’s generous donation as an “extremely poignant moment” that brought many at the gathering to tears.
“It was just so lovely that a little girl of that age would think to do something like that. I was very touched,” he said.
Donations can be made by phoning Glenda Marsden on 0417 357 745.