A fire at a Smyrna apartment complex left 27 people homeless and destroyed many of their worldly possessions.
But it will not destroy their Christmas.
Several families at the complex have deep ties to nearby Mt. Zion First Baptist Church, and when members of the 135-year-old church heard about Friday's blaze they got busy collecting donated presents and supplies on a holiday weekend.
"Everybody's been so gracious and supportive of the family," said Anita Flowers, 37, among 10 volunteers helping out Saturday. "This is the spirit of Christmas -- giving."
By late Saturday the church had collected more than 200 items for the victims of the fire at Regency Square Apartments. About a dozen of those displaced were children.
The Red Cross has helped relocate the families into vacant units at the complex as well as hotels and with relatives.
Patricia Phillips, 62, said she was visiting with Geraldine Malone, her niece, across the hall when someone knocked on the door at about 12:30 p.m. Friday and said smoke was coming from Phillips' apartment. She rushed back to find flames shooting up from behind the stove, she said.
Fire investigators say it's too early to pinpoint the cause. They said there have been three fires at the complex over the past year. This one required more than 30 firefighters and destroyed an eight-unit building.
Malone, 34, had taken in her mother, who suffered a stroke a few years ago, as well as two nieces whose mother had passed away. She had just completed her Christmas shopping when the fire struck, destroying everything including her Social Security card, cell phone, clothing and furniture.
Still, no one was seriously injured. Phillips, who has a mechanical heart valve, was taken to the hospital because she was having trouble breathing, but she is okay. Malone was still coughing Saturday from all the smoke.
Their family is deeply involved at Mt. Zion and members have sung in the choir, served as ushers and volunteered for various functions.
On Saturday, one woman came to the church after buying gifts for all the children. A couple came with armfuls of offerings, saying they'd be back with more. A man came from Marietta and offered to help move the families.
"We're a small church with a big heart," said Phillips, who is staying with relatives who live elsewhere in the complex. "We're blessed. They're really taking care of us."
Anyone interested in helping the families displaced by the fire can contact Mt. Zion officials at 404-934-9857.
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