The speed skating community is lending its support to one of their own following a fire earlier this month.
A home in Diamond Valley was left uninhabitable after a fire on Dec. 11, prompting a GoFundMe to be established to help the affected family.
Isabelle Weidemann, an Olympic medal-winning speed skater, and Phil Riopel, a speed skating coach at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, are listed as organizers of the fundraiser.
“Last week, Joe and Heather came home to a devastating house fire that has left them, and us, heartbroken,” Weidemann said on the GoFundMe page.
“Joe Bentley has been an integral part of our speed skating world as a massage therapist for... well... way too long,” she said.
The GoFundMe has more than doubled its fundraising goal of $10,000 since it was started a few days after the fire.
Two rooms in the home were destroyed, and there is considerable damage on the main floor.
Nobody was home at the time of the fire. Diamond Valley Fire Rescue said the fire began between the first and second floors of the home, and that there is considerable smoke damage throughout the house.
“I've had a lot of people asking how they can help! I hope this can be a good start,” Weidemann said
According to his website, Joe Bentley, a massage therapist and yoga instructor, began working and travelling with the Canadian Long Track Speed Skating Team in 2010, while continuing to provide treatments for the public.
“That job description has never quite covered it all,” Weidemann said, adding the family has always done a lot within the sport and small-town communities.
