Staff at R Bar and Grill are seen with donations for a family who lost all their possessions in a Newport Township fire last weekend. From left, Ashley Nevolas, Stephanie Gatrell, Robert Burke, Lauren Maga and Brian Hirthler.
Roger DuPuis | Times Leader
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NEWPORT TWP. — All fires are tragic, but a residential blaze that left a West Main Avenue family and their children without a home and belongings last weekend stuck a chord with the staff at R Bar and Grill.
“We saw a post on a Facebook post that these people were displaced and they have a lot of children, and I guess the wife is pregnant, due next week,” said Lauren Maga, who co-owns the bar with sister Lindsey Temarantz.
“That’s a sad thing, and there are children involved, so it was very sentimental to us,” Maga said. “They lost everything.”
So Maga reached out to the person who posted about the fire, tracked down the people the family are staying with, and have organized a benefit drive to collect clothes, household goods, toys, gift cards and other items needed by the family.
A post was put up on the R Bar’s Facebook page, and the items began to pour in.
Maga showed a reporter some items in the dining room on Thursday, adding: “and I have a couple big garden bags full of items out in the garage,” she said. They include clothes, diapers, gift cards, “all kinds of stuff.”
Maga said the bar is not accepting cash or large items, such as furniture — which they have no place to store — but can put donors in touch with the people helping the family if they want to provide furniture. She also requested that only new toys be provided, due to COVID concerns.
Collections will continue through this Sunday, Jan. 30, at least, she said, and possibly longer if needed.
Business hours for drop-off are:
• Tuesday-Friday 4-10 p.m.
• Saturday 2-10 p.m.
• Sunday 1-8 p.m.
R Bar is located at 119 E. Kirmar Ave., Newport Township. Anyone with questions can call Maga at 570-258-0505, and she’ll return your message if not immediately available.
