OKC Horse Owners Set Up GoFundMe To Help Trainer Who Lost Barn In Camp Fire
BUTTE COUNTY (KPIX) - Donations for Camp Fire victims were pouring in from as far away as Oklahoma City, not just for the human survivors, but horses, too.
The deadly wildfire just about leveled the town of Paradise and burned surrounding communities.
It forced a Butte County horse trainer Penni Gerardi to cancel a trip to the NRHA Futility in Oklahoma City after her barn was burned to the ground.
The 2-week long competition is a major annual reining event for horse riders.
When fellow horse owners in Oklahoma heard of the disaster they stepped up and started a GoFundMe to help.
Lisa Murray launched the crowdsourcing campaign.
"She's one of our best friends, and the devastation right now in California is overwhelming," said Murray.
"Hopefully, I'll be back there," said Gerardi. "I'll feel like a phoenix rising out of the ashes with my foal that got out of the fire."
Gerardi was able to save 23 of her 24 horses.
According to the GoFundMe webpage, "Everything is gone, the house and barn. Penni had no time to take any of her tack, all of her saddles and bridles burned to ashes, saving the horses was her only focus... Penni is suffering terrible grief over the one horse who perished."
As of Saturday night, the GoFundMe campaign had raised $31,581.
