Woman who lost house due to fire overwhelmed by fundraiser
ZELIENOPLE — A pancake breakfast organized by the Rotary Club of Zelienople that came together in just over two weeks raised hundreds of dollars for a local woman who lost her house to a fire.
Trinda Durboraw’s house on Oakdale Drive in Zelienople caught fire the night of April 13 and was deemed a total loss. On Sunday, April 30, Durboraw enjoyed pancakes and other breakfast foods at Glade Run Lutheran Services’ Matthew Hall surrounded by dozens of people who attended to help her financially.
She said she was overwhelmed by just the Rotary Club offering to have a fundraiser breakfast for her.
“I’m amazed at the fact that there’s so many people who want to help,” Durboraw said. “It’s overwhelming because I usually like to be the one who does this sort of thing for others.”
Rich Gigliotti, incoming president of the Rotary Club of Zelienople, said this type of tightly timed fundraiser is the forte of Rotary Clubs. The fire happened a day before a meeting of the Rotary Club of Zelienople, and members of the club immediately pitched ways to help Durboraw.
“We are a global organization, and we are local in every community we are in,” Gigliotti said. “We are also set up where we can do small things like this quickly.”
Several local business owners also pitched in when they heard about the fundraiser. Sheila Talarico, a member of the Rotary Club of Zelienople, said many restaurant owners reached out to provide food for the breakfast.
Numerous members of the Rotary Club, as well as volunteers from other organizations, including the Harmony Fire District, buzzed around the kitchen and tables of Matthew Hall to prepare food and run it to those attending. Gigliotti said the pancake breakfasts, which are a regular fundraiser for the Rotary Club, involved a lot of day-of help.
“An event like this is all hands on deck,” he said.
The Harmony Fire District parked firetrucks outside the hall to help promote the event. Kevin Behun, president of Harmony Fire District, said the department was happy to attend a community fundraiser.
“It’s nice to see how everyone in the year 2023 is still taking care of each other,” Behun said.
Gigliotti also said that Durboraw had a “normal reaction” to hearing about the fundraiser and didn’t ask to be in the spotlight for it.
“They said they don’t want help, they don’t want the publicity,” he said. “All that matters is she’s a community member with us.”
It has only been a few years since Durboraw moved to Zelienople, first coming to Cranberry Township in 2015 from Ohio and then finally settling in the borough in 2017.
She said the fire was devastating, and she is staying with a friend. But community support and the pancake breakfast have given her some relief.
“I’m hanging in there,” Durboraw said. “It’s one day at a time, I’m staying positive.”
