More pictures from Franklinville are now online

Jessie Jr.
Originally uploaded by FinanceProfessor.

This is Jessie. He was burned in the fire but is doing much much better :) Yeah!

There are now over 100 pictures of the work to renovate his new home. See the full set here.

Update from Franklinville

We just got back from another good day up in Franklinville helping the Krytus family.

We had ten volunteers and worked mainly on the upstairs ceilings. Made good progress!

A few quick points of interest:

* First song on radio when we turned it on this morning: "I will survive", which somehow seemed very fitting.

* The family received a very generous donation of almost $7000 of carpeting, cabinets, tiles, and bathroom furnishings. They will likely allow the house to be completed!

* I purposely drove by the mall on the way home. Being the last Saturday before Christmas it was packed. I actually felt sorry for all of the stressed out shoppers inside. I virtually guarantee they would have been happier and made for a much better Christmas had they opted to come volunteer. I guess we'll just have to show more people how beneficial volunteering can be.

* We took about 12 boxes of donations to the family. From clothes baskets to coffee mugs and plates to pillows. Thanks to those who donated!

* Mark January 18th on your calendars! It is the tentative date for a fund raiser for the family. It will be a snow tubing event (not sure what you call a snow tubing event but an event) in Ellicottville. A BonaResponds half work day and half snow tubing day may be called for!

* Jessie Jr. was there for a bit today. He is doing MUCH better. His father is still under sedation and has a probable infection but is breathing on his own and doing better than a few weeks ago.

* Lynn (Jessie Sr's aunt and one of the main organizers of the efforts) was again very thankful for the help and told us repeatedly that after this is completed, she is joining BonaResponds :)

A message from Franklinville

Mary from Franklinville emailed the following to us. Can we help?

I spoke to Lynn and we figured it would cost between $200 – $300 to get the floor done. So whatever anyone would like to contribute towards that would be fantastic. The inspector is coming out tomorrow and we may still need some wiring done in the kitchen. Rob may not be able to come back to finish as he has something to do for a church that he promised would be done before Christmas. I guess he is being spread real thin right now as well. Lynn is picking up the lighting and the countertops for the kitchen this week. Once we get the go ahead on the wiring I can call a guy who will call his friends and they can do the dry wall, mud and taping (if given enough notice). Lynn is still trying to get the family in the house by Christmas as long as it is safe to do so. If the flooring isn’t done, that’s ok as long as they have a fairly decent functioning kitchen. We can work around the rest after Christmas.

Kitchen items is what I am thinking they need.

• Crock Pots
• cooking utensils
• iron
• ironing board
• Cheese grater
• Measuring cups/spoons
• Towels
• Laundry baskets

Things of that nature would be fantastic.

What do you think? I am available this weekend (Saturday or Sunday) and donating would really make a great Christmas present.

If you want to donate, email me. Also feel free to drop off any of the things mentioned (also Christmas lights etc since someone did donate a tree) or presents for the baby (Jessie is 2 years old) just drop off in Murphy--my office is 231 but odds are good I will not be there. Ask the Jenifer Spencer the upstairs Business Administrative Assistant to put in my office.

Video from Franklinville

This is also on GoogleVideo, but I will put it here since it will be easier to find for you.

We are going back this coming Sunday. With most of the students gone, we will really need the community's help. So why not give a few hours to help a family in great need.



If you want to see an unedited interview with Lynn the Aunt, it is available here. Remember it is unedited and the pictures are quite graphic, but it is well worth at least listening to and after the first 30 seconds or so, the rest is fine.

BonaResponds: Franklinville - a photoset on Flickr

BonaResponds: Franklinville - a photoset on Flickr: "Helping the Krytus Family; December 2007"

Jen added about 40 pictures from the work day at the Krytus house.

Also look for an announcement soon (maybe later today) that we will be going back next Sunday as well!

Laura holding Carrie up so she can reach the ceiling

Laura holding Carrie up so she can reach the ceiling
Originally uploaded by FinanceProfessor.

BonaResponds worked with this weekend to try and get the Krytus family into a home following their horrible fire. Over sixty pictures are online so far. Coming soon a great video.

Updates on the Krytus family

The first from WGRZ channel 2 from Buffalo:
News - Volunteers Come Together To Help Fire Victims:

"Volunteers are giving a Franklinville family a wonderful gift this holiday season. Complete strangers spent their Saturday fixing up a home for the Krytus family who lost their previous home to a fire the day after Thanksgiving"

Four of the volunteers today were from BonaResponds (more in a second on that), on Sunday we will have many more there.

Then a health update from the Olean Times Herald

"Ms. Krytus said her fiance is still heavily sedated and recently contracted pneumonia and a slight blood infection. He also has had two skin grafts. Little Jesse is also working on his recovery and has a daily whirlpool bath treatment at the hospital. Surgeons are discussing the possibility of a skin graft for his right leg.

In the meantime, Mr. Horbacz's aunt, Lynn Rosinski of Franklinville, has set up a bank account to help the young couple with their expenses."

What is the work like? According to Larry, the renovated house will be pretty nice eventually but definitely needs work. The house seemingly had been abandoned and the whole interior had to be gutted. With donations (the HomeDepot was particularly generous), new wiring, insulation, and drywall will be accomplished. Also the ground floor needs a new floor and the ceiling on the second floor has to be redone as the woodwork bulged due to extreme cold.

Both Larry and Bonnie said it had been a very productive day. Let's hope Sunday is too when we have the larger crew there. I am sure it will be!

Directions to the home in Franklinville

If you are coming with us (or want to meet us there) this Sunday, here is the location:


View Larger Map

BonaResponds volunteer opportunity this Sunday!!!

BonaResponds will be teaming up with local volunteers to help fix up a home for this family.

WIVB TV: News, Weather, Sports for Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and all of Western New York | Father and Son Severely Burned in Franklinville House Fire:

"There isn't much left of the two-story home on Route 98 South in the Cattaraugus County town of Franklinville where a father and his son were injured in a devastating fire. State police say 29-year-old Jesse Horbacz managed to get out of the house with his two-and-a-half-year-old boy...."

We will be leaving at 10:00 AM on Sunday. We have reserved a University van. Hopefully we we will be back to campus around 3 pm so you can still study.

From Mary who is coordinating this:

"Sharon Krytus owned a house on 98 South in  Franklinville.  She and her
two boys [and} along with her daughter Sherry were in NYC for the
Thanksgiving weekend.

While they were gone Sherry's future husband Jesse, Sr and their son Jesse,
Jr were in the house when it caught fire.  Jesse, Sr. searched to
find his son in the fire.  The fire dept said that it looked like he had
gone in and out of the house at least 2 times.  They could see where he
came out and rolled in the snow/dirt to get the fire off of him.  He did
get his son out.

Jesse, Jr received 15% burns on his body. He was released from
Children's hospital last week and is now going through
whirlpool treatments.  Jesse, Sr is at ECMC with 45% burns on
his body and has 2 skin grafts so far.  He will be in the hospital for a
long time.  Jesse,Sr and Sherry had recently bought a bankruptcy house
on Morgan Hollow and Oliver.  Jesse was going to renovate it.

We are trying to get the money and materials [and volunteers] together for this rehab
and are praying daily that God will provide.

Directions: Take 5 mile to rte 16 towards  Franklinville.  Turn left onto
98 South.  Go down 5 or so miles (This is not exact).
Morgan Hollow is shortly after the Town of Humphrey sign on the right
hand side.  Turn right.  Oliver does not have a street sign, but it is
the first right. We are hoping to get some signs made up.  We will be
starting about 9 but what ever time you get there is fine.

Thank you so much for your help.

Mary"
There was some really good TV coverage on Channel 2, here is a link.
Watch the video!

Stop and imagine this for a second:  trapped in a fire but not leaving.
Looking around in the burning heat for your young son. Running out for
air and then rolling around in the snow to put out the fire.

then going BACK in.  wow.  What a hero!

We have a van etc., but if you want to meet us there, that is fine too. We will have hot chocolate etc but dress warm!

The address is 4558 Oliver Road, Franklinville NY.