(April 30, 2015) Several families, including Dikesha Johnson and her two young children, were displaced by a devastating fire at the Trappe Creek Apartments on Bay Street in Berlin on April 3.
Now, the community is rallying around the families, and groups such as Soulful Gospel Events are holding fundraisers to gather donations.
“I heard about [the fire] through Facebook and I wanted to use my project called Soulful Gospel Events to be a blessing to the families, and just try to use the resources that I had to get the community involved,” La’Reka Marshall said.
“Not only was Dikesha Johnson affected by it, but both of her next-door neighbors were affected by it as well. I’m trying to get the community to help me help them.”
Soulful Gospel’s fundraiser will be held at Berlin Intermediate School on 309 Franklin Avenue on May 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Marshall will cater the event.
The Praise Dancer Gospel Singers will provide live entertainment during the fundraiser, along with additional musical acts and a standup comedian.
“Anybody that comes, they have to bring a donation in order to get in,” Marshall said, adding that donations may come in the form of money, as well as clothing or food.
“It’s just whatever is laid on the person’s heart to do,” she said. “We know that they need new living room furniture and we also have one young lady [affected by the fire], her electric bill is $1,000. So one of our goals is to raise that money to give to Marie Briddell so she will be able to pay that expense.”
For those who cannot make the May 2 fundraiser, Marshall said additional items could be dropped off to members of her gospel committee in Berlin.
“Even if you do not want to attend, I do stress that things can be dropped off,” she said. “We’re trying to help out all of the families affected by this fire, and it’s a total of 10 people.
For more information, call Marshall at 302-233-6160, or email cleaningscents@gmail.com.