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A fire ravaged Kelly's Kids Inc., located at 18 Spring Road in Prospect, on Friday night, Feb. 4, according to a GoFundMe campaign organized by Ashley Kiefer.
"The fire grew too quickly to salvage anything else and the barn was quickly engulfed in flames," Kiefer wrote. "The building was completely destroyed, and sadly most of the animals were lost. It is a heartbreaking realization that it's no longer there."
Kelly's Kids, which started off as a petting zoo in 1999, is an organization that provides animal therapy for children and seniors while reinforcing the proper way to care for other living creatures.
Many clients have praised Kelly's work, including Kiefer who said she can personally attest to the impact the non-profit has had on her life.
"My earliest memories of the beginning of my relationship with Kelly is her and her family picking me and all the other safe home kids up early Sunday morning, piling us in to her suburban, taking us to church followed by Dunkin’ Donuts, and finally the farm to spend time with the animals," she wrote on the GoFundMe.
"I was not the only one who needed those Sundays. Dozens of us made it through the week knowing Sundays at the farm were coming," Kiefer continued. "My story is one of hundreds."
The GoFundMe will raise money for new supplies and new livestock so that Kelly's Kids can start a new chapter. The campaign raised more than $108,00 of its $150,000 goal at the time this article was published.
People interested in donating can click here. More information about Kelly's Kids can be found on their website.
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