Member Service Representative Cassandra Silvia paid forward $500 to a GoFundMe campaign to benefit a first responder family in Laurens County after a fire on New Year’s Day took everything from them.
Cody Heithold is a Police Officer with the Clinton Police Department and his fiancé Mary Moss works for the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office. They and their son lost most of their clothing and personal items in the fire.
Cassandra said, “After such a rough and exhausting year in 2020, I think we are all looking for a brighter future in 2021. I cannot imagine what this family is going through. It breaks my heart to see a family that has done so much for our community, to have to go such a great loss.”
Mary Ada Moss, one of the beneficiaries of the campaign, shared, “We wanted to reach out to the community to express our gratitude… Our life was turned upside in an instant on New Year’s Day and everyone jumped in to help us begin rebuilding instantly. People in the community we have never encountered have reached our hearts in ways we could never repay but we are so thankful we have had the support from Laurens County!”
Laurens County Sheriff’s Office Major Chris Martin, who organized the campaign, said, “Laurens County is a community full of caring people, especially when it comes to our First Responders. Community members quickly stepped up to help their neighbors in their time of need and I am proud of the support that has been shown.”
He added, “Laurens Electric has a history of community involvement and their employee Pay It Forward initiative is one more example of that. We are grateful for LEC and their willingness to lend a helping hand.”
To find out more or donate, visit https://gofund.me/966aa975.
The Pay It Forward program began in 2015.
Every Laurens Electric Cooperative employee is entered into a random drawing to receive $500 to pay forward in any way they choose. Each month a new name is drawn, and the employee then has one month to apply the funds toward their own act of kindness.
This initiative is budget-neutral; the funds will come from Laurens Electric’s charity events, which employee volunteers make possible.
Employees and the community will enable individual employees to help individuals in the community, and that’s a win-win situation.