Fundraiser started for family who ‘lost everything’ in Pouce Coupe house fire

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — A local Dawson Creek woman is looking to raise over $12,000 for a family whose house burned down in a fire in Pouce Coupe. 

On December 21st, the Pouce Coupe Fire Department attended a house fire in the Village of Pouce Coupe which displaced four residents. 

Barbara Ackles decided to start a GoFundMe page for Jean-Paul Touchette and his family. 

Ackles told Energeticcity.ca: “I lost my house to a house fire back in 2013 and one of my friends made a GoFundMe for me. [That] helped us so much.”

The Touchette family – which includes Jean-Paul Touchette, his wife, their son and their two-year-old baby – met Ackles during a stay at a hotel.

Jean-Paul told Energeticcity.ca: “I met her for the first time when I ran into her and I was telling her what had happened.

“And she told me she had a similar story. So she had already walked that walk.” 

Jean-Paul’s initial reaction to the GoFundMe page was relief. “We had no insurance, so that’s a big, daunting task. 

“How are we going to get the money and the funds to rebuild after this, because now we don’t have a place.

“My reaction was relief because it looked like that might be an avenue to get some help.” 

Through the GoFundMe page for the Touchette family, Ackles hopes to raise over $12,000.

She said: “Whatever we can get for them, it will be really helpful.” 

For Jean-Paul, who is currently staying with a friend, finding a place to live is a top priority. He said: “It’s just really tough with my son, who’s two years old. We’re just trying to sort out a place to live.” 

On his expectation for the GoFundMe page, he said: “I’m hoping that there might be some charitable people and businesses out there that would be willing to donate or to provide some charity towards me.

“We lost everything and just can’t replace everything that easily or quickly financially right now, and so it hopefully will assist in rebuilding and getting a house built.” 

Jean-Paul hopes the community will help in any way it can. “I’d be really grateful and thankful for any help I could receive, no matter whether it’s financially or just support, [it] would be great.”

Ackles shared a message that she would like to give to the community: “I would like to ask for the nation to help [with] whatever they have [and] not using right now, like furniture, appliances, food and baby clothes.”

Anybody wanting to donate to the Touchette family can visit Ackle’s GoFundMe page.