AT 6am on the morning of September 5, Wylie Saunders left his residence at Knebsworth to go to work in Portland.

Barely an hour and a half later, he received a call informing him of some terrible news.

“I got home at about 8:30am and there was nothing left,” Wylie said.

His home, and everything in it, had burnt to the ground.

Despite the quick thinking of the local who reported the fire after checking no-one was home, the fire brigades from North Byaduk, Byaduk, Macarthur, Heywood, Hamilton, Hamilton HAZMAT, and Warrnambool Incident Response were unable to save it.

Property owners, Caroline Coggins and David Fenton said the fire had been a jarring and traumatic experience for them as well.

“We really miss Wylie being at the property - he took such great care of it,” Caroline said.

“(The fire) has made us rethink our values and how we manage insurance.”

After hearing about the traumatic incident, the local Macarthur and District Lions Club contacted Caroline, David, and Wylie to see how they could help in the aftermath of the event.

To help Wylie recover after the devastating losses he suffered, the Macarthur and District Lions Club made a monetary donation in the amount of $500 directly to Wylie.

“Wylie was so touched - he was blown away,” Caroline said.

The Macarthur and District Lions Club did not stop there.

Having launched a public fire appeal to assist Wylie, in the end, the Lions Club were able to raise an impressive amount of $1700.

Additionally, at the Lions Club meeting last Monday, president, Christine Duyvestyn announced a bonus raffle for a tub of locally made honey donated by Wythe’s Honey from Karingal, Broadwater.

“This is what we do as Lions,” Christine said.

Lions Club secretary, Lesley Addinsall agreed and said, “(We) took up the challenge and went with it”.

The bonus raffle raised an amount of $75 which was added to the $1700 sum, altogether totalling a $2275 donation.

Treasurer, John Holcombe, presented Wylie with the donation at the meeting and the kindness and benevolence of the generosity meant a great deal to him.

 “You (the Lions) didn’t have to help me, and you did,” he said as he graciously accepted the donation.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it, it will help me get back on my feet.

“The dogs weren’t hurt, no one was hurt, everything else can be replaced.”

With 13 members in the Macarthur and District Lions Club, this appeal has been a considerable undertaking.

“It was an incredible effort by the Macarthur and district community,” member Bill Addinsall said.