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Online Fundraising Campaign for All Residents Surviving Riverview Grocery Fire Created

By Jesse Wood

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Along with the Riverview Grocery, four connected apartments burned down, leaving residents homeless. Photo by B. Dudley Carter

Shortly after the Riverview Grocery and Apartments burned down on U.S. 321 in Western Watauga, a friend created a GoFundMe.com fundraiser for resident David Maine.

While Maine survived the fire because of his alert dog, Maine lost everything but his car – including his business, home and best friend and partner Shane Scarborough, who was unable to evacuate and died in the fire.

So far 40 people have donated $1,670 of the $5,000 fundraising goal has been raised in the past two days.

But that wasn’t the only campaign that was created to help those affected by the fire. Two days ago, Diane Stansberry created a GoFundMe.com page to help “all” of the residents of the Riverview Grocery and Apartments.

Stansberry said that the funds will help David Reiger, Roman Presnell, Jim Rasmussen and David Maine pick up the pieces after the devastating fire.

Since the campaign began, $610 of the $5,000 goal has been raised.

Stansberry noted that the American Red Cross put two of the residents up in a motel.

“The fire victims … really need your donations at least enough to get them into a place and pay for their deposits and rent and help them get back on their feet,” Stansberry wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Please help them in this time of need.”

To donate, click here.