Plans afoot to help couple who lost home in New Years fire

PICTOU - County residents are banding around a Pictou couple who lost everything when their house went up in flames on New Year's Day.
Dria Young and Jeff Babineau lost their belongings when their Wellington Street home burned down in the early morning hours of Jan. 1.
"We were out at a party, and someone came up to Dria and said, 'You might want to go home, your house is on fire'," recalls friend Morgan Snyder.
By the time they rushed home, the house was engulfed in flames.
Snyder knows what Babineau and Young are feeling - a year ago, she and her two daughters lost everything they owned in a fire as well.
"Everyone in the community reached out to help me," Snyder said. "They have nothing - I know exactly where they're coming from. I feel like I have to give back, my fire was almost a year to the day."
That's why Snyder is organizing a donation drive.
The couple lost their home and their insurance will only cover their mortgage, she said, let alone any of the contents of the house.
They're currently staying with family, but once they find an apartment, their insurance will cover the costs for a place for them to stay. The only problem is, Snyder said, they have nothing to put in it.
"All their household goods, all their clothing, it's all gone," she said. "If they find a place, they have nothing, not a thing, to put in it."
The couple will gratefully accept any donations of clothing, furniture and household items, she added.
Other friends are organizing a benefit for the couple on Feb. 13 at the Highlander Tavern in Pictou, which will raise funds for the couple. To make a donation or for more information, call Morgan at 754-1665.