ROANOKE, Va. -- After collecting items for two weeks, members of the Roanoke and Franklin County volunteer rescue squads delivered a full trailer to a family that lost their home to a fire.
When disaster strikes, members of Roanoke EMS and the Franklin County Rescue Squad are there to answer the call -- especially when that disaster affects one of their own.
"We don't know the people, but it's a resuce squad," said June Ann Wilkes, an EMS Volunteer for Roanoke EMS and Regional VP for the Virginia Volunteer Rescue Squad Association. "It's members that need help. It's just the right thing to do."
Back in December, the Coulson family's Glade Spring home was destroyed in a massive fire, leaving the family of ten homeless. Two teenage boys in the family are junior members of the Glade Spring Volunteer Rescue Squad.
"Everybody has pitched in to help out," said Wilkes. "With just two weeks notice and during Christmas season, it's just been great."
For two weeks, Roanoke EMS and Franklin County Rescue Squad collected items for the family, including furniture, clothes, toilettries, and giftcards. Saturday, members of both agencies delivered a full trailer and more than $2,000 in giftcards and checks to them.
"We've done very well," said Wilkes. "I'm very impressed with the Roanoke City and Franklin County areas."
The two members of the family on the Glade Spring squad were there to meet the group when they arrived.
"It was a very heartwarming moment," said Wilkes. "It's kind of overwhelming."
Wilkes says the boys were very appreciative -- and would say which item could go to which family member as they unloaded the trailer.
While they're most glad no one was hurt in the fire, the group says it was nice to be able to bring smiles to a group of people who really needed them.
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