By Eileen Connelly, OSU

ST. LAWRENCE DEANERY — A Delhi family is receiving assistance and prayers from the local community after a predawn fire destroyed their home and virtually all their possessions on Jan. 27. Tim and Victoria Lasita and their children, including two sets of triplets ages four years and five months, escaped the fire unharmed.

Members of Our Lady of Victory Parish, where the Lasitas are members, quickly rallied to support them. The tragedy was announced at all morning Masses, said Charlie Fehr, parish business manager, and a special collection was conducted, raising in excess of $8,000 for the family. The parish office was flooded last week with phone calls from community members interested in assisting the Lasitas in some way, from contributing money to donating household items, Fehr added.

"We’ve been working with the family, sort of as a conduit, regarding their needs and forwarding the calls on to them, so they can get back in contact with potential donors once they know what their plans are," he explained.

"Obviously this is a tragic situation for them," Fehr said. "We’re simply doing what we can as parish to support them and pray for them. A number of our parishioners have been working directly with the family, ministering to them and organizing fundraisers."

Among those fundraisers were two announced last week by Elder High School, from which Tim Lasita graduated in 1977. On Feb. 2, Hot Wings Sports Bar in Delhi hosted a fundraiser with proceeds going to the Lasita family. Champions Grille in Westwood held a silent auction and raffle on Feb. 4, donating 10 percent of the day’s receipts to the Lasitas.

Donations for the family are also being accepted at all Fifth Third Bank Branches in the Cincinnati area in the name of the "Delhi Triplets Fund." In addition, Fehr said Our Lady of Victory would continue to accept contributions on behalf of the Lasitas. To support the family, please call the parish office at 513-922-4460.