It took less than 24 hours to collect enough donations to completely furnish a new home for four Texas A&M University students whose residence was destroyed by arson.
"Within the first day we had eight to 12 TVs at our disposal, 12 queen-size beds, tons of furniture," said Amanda Mills, a student in her second year of veterinary medicine studies. "Basically, it's like we get to go shopping when we come back to College Station."
Almost everything Mills and her three roommates owned was consumed by the blaze, which authorities believe was started by someone who first burglarized their home on Hondo Street then set it on fire.
Arson investigators on Thursday said they have no new information about the Sunday fire.
Bart Humphreys, spokesman for the College Station Fire Department, said firefighters responded to the residence around 4:30 a.m. after receiving reports of flames coming out of the back windows of the home.
Within 25 minutes of arrival, the fire was extinguished.
Mills lost a pet she'd had for more than three years -- one of her two cats -- in the fire. She asked classmate Dayna Cox to feed them while she was out of town.
"She called me that morning before I went over and let me know what had happened," Cox said. "She was so upset about it and asked me to go back and see if I could find her other cat that had ran away after the fire."
The next day, after leaving out some food and water, the cat came back.
"She's living happily at my place now until Amanda gets back," Cox said.
Mills shared the home with three students who also are majoring in veterinary medicine -- Katy Beauchamp, Kayley O'Toole and Courtney Smith.
Cox and another veterinary medicine student, Kristen Brown, decided to send out a message to all students within the College of Veterinary Medicine, explaining the situation and asking for donations.
"We've gotten everything -- from an entire duplex someone offered to let them use until they get back on their feet, about 12 beds, tables, an entire set of living room furniture," she said. "And no one's offering to lend -- they just want to donate. Period."
Textbooks, backpacks and notes, along with clothes and other personal items all are needed. Cox said for the time being, most needs are being met, but the roommates -- two of whom have pets -- also lost bedding, medicine and kennels they had for the animals.
Monetary donations also are being accepted.
Anyone interested in making a donation can contact Cox via e-mail at dmcox@cvm.tamu.edu or by cell phone at 210-729-8001.
"We're going to be writing a lot of thank-you notes, so a gift card to Target would be great," Mills said, laughing.
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