A long-term grassroots conservative leader from the Coulee Region recently shared that his younger sister in Florida experienced a tragic house fire. While, thankfully, she is OK, she did lose everything! She was at home when it happened, heard a very loud noise, went outside to investigate and discovered that the side of her house was on fire. She went back through the house, grabbed her phone, went outside to safety and called 911. The rest is history!

After speaking with his sister Betsy, John Christy has learned a little about what "losing everything" means:

• It means going to a Dental appointment the next day in stocking feet.
• It means trying to explain that she cannot return equipment to the local cable company because it is a pile of melted plastic and ashes. When that didn't work, she then had to explain she couldn't find the serial number either!
• It means the pharmacy didn't want to help with her prescriptions even though she had called there before calling her Doctor (lesson learned).

There were some good stories too and it is nice to know there are good people "out there"!

While the house was still burning, a lady drove up who had seen the smoke from miles away, counted out $26 and some change, said that was all the money she had but wanted Betsy to have it as she had experienced the same crisis a few years previous.

When the pharmacy finally got the request, a lady "jumped right on it" to get the insurance to approve them and promptly started to fill the various prescriptions. And, one of the first contributors to the GoFundMe page was someone she had gone to camp with some sixty years ago!

If you want to share a little Coulee Region compassion, please give to the "GoFundMe Fire Emergency for Betsy Christy" and find the article by Nancy Marshall Gaye Koutrelakos where you can make a contribution. John Christy and the team at CouleeConservatives will appreciate your caring and sharing.

John Christy of rural Sparta has been active in conservative causes, including many leadership roles in the Republican Party of Monroe County, for close to three decades. He is a strong supporter of CouleeConservatives by being an occasional contributor and comment writer, and by being instrumental in planning the annual Conservatives Night with the Loggers every Independence Day celebration. He has also contributed many Guest Columns to the Monroe County Herald and Letters to the Editor to a variety of publications.

EDITOR’S NOTE: My dear conservative friends, we speak and write about the fact that true compassion and love comes from individuals. From neighbors and families helping each other instead of casting them off to a cold-hearted bureaucracy when they fall on hard times. Please show the world the light that I know exists in your hearts and give generously today.