Heidi Perkins and three friends are in the middle of a fundraising effort to help Kim Moran, whose home burned to the ground Dec. 20 on the shores of Coleman Pond, in Lincolnville.

"She was over at her friend and neighbor’s house having coffee and happened to look out the window to see her house fully engulfed in flames," wrote Perkins, on the GoFundMe campaign site. "Fortunately Kim and her cat were not home so no one was hurt."

The fire occurred shortly before 8:30 a.m. and was likely started by the woodstove, according to firefighters. 

"Can you imagine going to brush your teeth and realizing you lost your toothbrush in the fire; you go to use your debit card and again realize you lost that in the fire; or having to show ID but again realizing your drivers license was lost in the fire; or looking for your favorite pair of jeans and coat, and once again realizing you’ve lost everything in the fire…and truth be told you feel homeless," wrote Perkins.

The fundraising goal is $75,000 to help Kim rebuild on the same footprint as the home she lost.

Much of the infrastructure is still there, said Perkins, including a well, septic system, and electrical pole.

"Kim has many friends that are in the building trades, and we are hoping to tap into their expertise and guidance to help facilitate the rebuild," said Perkins.

Phase One is to clean up the site, which already started, before the snows really covered the ground.

Phase Two is design a new home, and Phase Three is to build the home and have it habitable by Fall 2025.

Money is tight because Moran had no fire insurance on the camp, which was orginally built in 1958.

"Many insurance companies in Maine will insure a home heated with a wood stove if there's also a separate central heat source," wrote Perkins. "In Kim’s case her only heat source was wood. The fire marshal said the fire was likely started by the wood stove."

There is a lot of local history, plus generations of one family, tied to Moran's home. She met her husband, Ron, on Coleman Pond in the 1970s. His family had a camp on the pond, as did her family.

"Through the years there have been many weddings and memorial services," said Perkins. "And as you can imagine many parties with cookouts and music. So many people have learned to swim, fish, canoe, kayak, and have fun on the water. Camp is such a magical place of fun in the sun, to relax from busy city life.... Ron passed away in 2019 from cancer. He was a carpenter and had such an influence on his home, as well as the two other camps in the compound, that belonged to his brother and sister. Everywhere you look you can see Ron's craftsmanship. That is until the fire destroyed their home."

These days, Moran is simply glad that she and her cat, TT, are alive.

"And every day I feel blessed with love and support from family, friends, neighbors and strangers alike," she told Perkins. "I grieve a bit each day for what was lost. The generations of handed down memorabilia and the memories or stories behind it all. I grieve for the hard work and vision my husband had for this special place. Lost. I grieve for the inheritance lost for our children. Many have passed through here a place to destress from the city or a place for escape from family life not so perfect. 

"When I finally dry my eyes I know in my heart it WILL get better.  It is a new fresh start for my girls and it will now be a part of their history. With an understanding of what this place will be for future generations, Like the Phoenix we will rise from the ashes."