Friends and family are organizing a benefit to help Colleen Creegan Dougherty, a longtime member of the Ocean City community, who lost her home at 37 Central Avenue to a fire on Feb. 22.
The event takes place 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 12, at the Ocean City VFW post at 15th Street and Bay Avenue. Donations will be accepted at the door.
A Feb. 22 fire destroyed the Central Avenue home of Colleen Dougherty in Ocean City.
Dougherty raised her children, Kelley, Sean and Pat here, and she operated an Asbury Avenue shop, Blue Sky in the Morning, for many years.
Anybody who cannot attend but would still like to help can mail a donation to:
Rebuild Colleen Dougherty
P.O. Box 71
Ocean City NJ 08226
An online donation site has been set up at:
www.gofundme.com/ColleenDougherty
The description on the GoFundMe site reads as follows:
On Sunday, February 22nd 2015, our beloved friend and community member Colleen Dougherty's house caught on fire. She and the occupants of her rental unit all got out safely but her home sustained extensive damage.
Between the fire and water damage, she has lost nearly all of her worldly possessions, her clothes, all of her work supplies and the building will need a full gut renovation if not needing to be completely torn down.
Although, we hope insurance will cover most her losses, she is facing many immediate expenses and she will be displaced from her home for at least one year. For anyone who knows Colleen, you know that she would never ask for anything from anyone, which is why we have come together as a community to support this amazing woman rebuild her home.
Colleen has spent her life giving her time, resources, love and what little money she could spare to others in need. She has dedicated her life to improving other people's lives and making our world a better place. If you have the means, please don't hold back and give to this incredible woman in a time of need.