Donations pour in after fire

CLEARWATER - A Clearwater family is discovering a community willing to share in the wake of a calamitous fire.

The Warner family of 10, a mother and father and eight children ages 12 years to 18 months, lost nearly everything to fast-moving flames Saturday night. Investigators now say a 7-year old boy playing with a cigarette lighter started a mattress on fire.

The Red Cross is providing a few days shelter at a local motel. That is where Glendah Warner's cell phone funnels a torrent of offers to help.

"I thought I'd get a few calls, but it's actually been on-going all day on this phone," she says during a break. "I'm like really, all these people want to help, even like businesses are calling and saying 'hey we want to sponsor you.'"

That includes a call from one office that does not want to be identified by name. But just last week the manager handed out $50 to everyone with instructions to use it to help somebody in need. No one had decided what to do yet, until they saw reports of the fire over the weekend.

"That was it," said Jennifer Kurimai. "We just knew. We walked in today and we knew that was it."

The co-workers now plan to pool their $50 bills, and the boss is matching it.

"This isn't kind of what I expected," admits Jane Raymonds. "But ...that's what we're looking to do -- maybe pay it forward."

The Clearwater Fire Rescue Honor Guard is also pitching in, using donations to help the family buy food and Christmas presents.

Glendah Warner says all of the generosity is keeping her mind off of what happened.

"I actually really haven't had a chance to really sit and think and cry and sulk, because I've been so busy," she said.

Anyone who would like to donate to the Honor Guard to help the family can mail or drop off a check to the "Clearwater Fire & Rescue Honor Guard," with a notation that says "fire victims donation."

The Clearwater Fire Rescue Administration Building is at 610 Franklin Street, Clearwater, FL 33756.