Community Mobilizes After Devastating St. Germain House Fire

An electric bike sparked a fire that destroyed the Ryan family's home the night of May 27 in St. Germain, and now a grassroots fundraising effort is helping them rise from the ashes.

Authorities received a call about a garage fire around 9:35 p.m. from a resident on Greenwood Drive, according to the Vilas County Sheriff's Office. The home was a total loss, but fortunately the Ryans and their children were able to evacuate safely and no injuries were reported.

Among the early fundraising endeavors for the Ryan family will be an all-day event Sunday, June 1, at Elmer's Fun Park in St. Germain. All sales made that day will go to the Ryan family, and Elmer's is collecting additional donations in its ice cream shop.

"So many people have reached out to offer help," said Emily Dumovich, who kickstarted a fundraising effort on Facebook. "It has taken us some time, but I am here now asking for that help for the Ryan family. Their needs right now are the immediate, everyday needs that we all take for granted until we no longer have access to it."

In that spirit, take a look at the image below (which includes QR codes for direct donations) to see how you can help. Find the Amazon wish list here. For more information about how to help, contact Dumovich here.