LONE JACK, Mo. — On Friday, Bob and Cathy White experienced a devastating house fire.
"I thought the cat was playing with the blinds," Cathy White said. "I went to check it out, and the entire back of the house was on fire."
White evacuated the house immediately and notified first responders. Within a few hours, fire crews extinguished the blaze.
A spokesperson with Sni Valley Fire District told KSHB 41 the home is not a complete loss and doesn't suspect foul play.
"It just breaks my heart," Cathy White said.
The home sits between Oak Grove and Lone Jack, Missouri, at Oak Hollow Farm, a nonprofit organization that provides Equine Therapy Services of at-risk youth.
The White family began the service in 2010, perfecting a program to create safe environment for children with intellectual disabilities, mental health challenges, and in the foster care system.
"There's something so special about horses and what their spirit does for that child," she said. "It's unconditional love, and a lot of these kids haven't had that."
The couple is navigating the next steps for their home while working out the details on their spring programs.
"We have to stabilize our own living conditions, we just need to keep things going with our average track," Bob White said. "We just want to sustain the program format we have."
Community members and Owl Hollow Farm staff have stepped up to help a couple creating purpose in the lives of young people while setting an example for youth volunteer leaders.
“It makes me want to do more," said Becky Cool, a junior volunteer at Owl Hollow Farm. "They care about what they’re doing — the problems won’t stop them from doing what they think their calling is.”
Despite a tragedy among the founders of Owl Hollow Farm, their only objective is to ensure children can benefit from their programs.
"If we can keep the program going, that's the whole thing," Cathy White said. "I'm sure the outpouring support of the community we will be able to keep it going."
Bob White added, "as a standalone we would be nothing. With the support of our volunteers and our staff, we can do what looks like magic with some people and some of these kids."
Community members started a GoFundMe page to generate funds supporting the home rebuild and for its stable. More information on the community fundraiser can be found here.
For more information on Owl Hollow Farms programs, click here.
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. Share your story idea with Ryan.
