Patch Hamilton-Wenham, MA --The Zegarowski family is looking for a home to rent in Hamilton as donations continue to come in to help the family whose fire was badly damaged in a fire on Saturday night.
The three-alarm fire significantly damaged the family's home at 261 Cutler Road in Hamilton and left it uninhabitable.
"Mandy is like my daughter," said Shirley Berry, who said she has helped other families after a house fire but it is more personal this time. "I have known her since she was a baby."
Her daughter, Tracie, is the godmother of the Zegarowski's oldest son, Syracuse basketball star Michael Carter-Williams and Mandy Carter-Zegarowski, the mother of the family, is the godmother to Tracie's daughter Summer.
Berry, a member of the Ipswich Board of Selectmen, is helping organize donations for the family, which she said started coming in shortly after the fire.
She first posted an item to Facebook at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday and donations started coming in immediately.
"Mandy and Zach have done so much for the youth of the Hamilton, Wenham and Ipswich communities," Berry said, so it was no surprise to her about the support the family has received.
"She's a mentor for every young girl in this community," she said, noting the family's connection to not just Hamilton but Ipswich, where Mandy Carter-Zegarowski works in the principal's office at Ipswich High School and coaches the girl's basketball team. "It's no surprise to me about the outpouring."
The most useful donation would be a gift card, she said.
Donations already have ranged from a $1,000 and $500 gift card to $10 gift cards. Between $2,000 and $3,000 donations have come in.
"The response has been incredible," Berry said.
It will likely be a year before the family can move back into the Cutler Road home and they are looking for a place to rent. They would like to stay in Hamilton, Berry said. The family consists for five people - mother and father plus two middle school students and a high school student - so they would need a three to four bedroom home, she said.
The day after the fire Ipswich Butchery donated 20 percent of its sales to the family and on Thursday, Pomadori's restaurant and Dairy Queen in Ipswich will contribute 20 percent of its sales to the family.
Berry encouraged anyone who has any question to contact her at 978-423-0630 or shirley.berry23@yahoo.com.
Donations can be sent to "The Carter-Zegarowski Fire Fund," which has been set up at the Institution for Savings.
c/o Ellen Morrissey
P.O. Box 662
Rowley, MA 01969
Gift Cards can be mailed to:
The Carter-Zegarowski Family
c/o Shirley Berry
P.O. Box 207
Ipswich, MA 01938 Reported by Patch 11 hours ago.