King City fire victims get help from local Girl Scouts

Families who lost everything in a fire at a mobile home park are trying to piece life back together. The community is helping them get back on their feet.

Girl Scouts are known for building courage and confidence in young girls. But nearly 50 scouts are learning some real-life lessons, as they work to help kids following last Sunday’s fire.

“I would like to help the families that do not have homes anymore,” said 9-year-old girl scout Brooklyn Monroy.

Monroy said she knows one of the girls who lost her home in the fire and because she’s pledged the scouts honor, she knows it’s her duty to help where help is needed. For the parents, it’s difficult to know 13 kids and 7 adults are now without a permanent home, many of them still looking for their next place to stay.

“Put a smile back on their face. You know especially right now with Halloween going on. They don’t even have costumes. We don’t know if they’re going to be able to go out and celebrate,” said Girl Scout service unit manager Jenny Hicks.

Mayor Rob Cullen said the community is coming together with donations, including Girls Scout care packages through the Salvation Army. The city said bags of goods are pouring into Full Gospel Church to help these families.

“We know some of the people. Can we get together. These girls in one night got together, some of them emptied half of their closets,” said troop leader Evette Wheeler.

Wheeler said local troops are pulling together personal items for the victims – clothing, purses, shoes, toiletries – anything to help them feel like they have support.

“We hope to show them you know that we’re there for them, if they need anything we can help them out,” said Girl Scout Athena Scout.

Residents still living in the mobile home park, don’t have access to gas. A state inspector is working to clear the property to allow PG&E to turn it back on.