The Abria’s Chase Foundation and the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Vance Class of 2023 are sponsoring a community yard sale this Saturday.

Join in Aug. 5 from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at 205 Dabney Drive.

Stephanie Tolbert told WIZS the Leadership Vance Class wanted to help.  “When we visited them, their story really touched us and made an impact on us, and they are trying to take a tragedy that happened within their family and turn it into something positive and impact their community in a positive way and that spoke volumes to us.”

The class is helping give back to an organization formed in 2010 in memory of Abria Jhune Lewis and Joshua Chase Lewis, two children who lost their lives in a fire that occurred on November 9th, 2009.

As founders Ayana and June Lewis have stated on their web page, abriaschasefoundation.org, “Their tragic and senseless deaths was our “call to action.”

The children both died in a fire in their home.

Class member Kenia Gomez-Jimenez explained there are many resources available to the community through the organization and said part of the goal with the yard sale event is to make the community aware.  “Of course we want to gather as many proceeds as we can to further the mission of the Abria’s Chase Foundation, but we also want to educate our community about the resources that they provide … (providing) support to grieving families through a variety of support group meetings that they host, I believe, every week.”

Leadership Vance Class member Kevin Wade described to WIZS in his words how the Lewis family has triumphed.  “When you hear their testimony, you’re left with a numbing feeling as a father (and as a husband.)  I’m just imagining losing two young children the way that they did and you know it just hits you square between the eyes.”

“To see what they’ve done from that from that point and moved forward, all I can think of is from tragedy to triumph,” Wade said.

The trio spoke to WIZS as a part of Thursday’s “The Local Skinny!” program at 11:30 a.m. as a reminder for yard sale lovers, community members and those who want to learn more or to contribute to stop by.

For more information, call 252-430-9913.

If you can’t make it, you can donate anytime online at www.abriaschasefoundation.org.

All proceeds go to help the Abria’s Chase Foundation, whose mission is to prevent fires and educate on fire safety, support grieving families and help rebuild.

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