Cari Quam/Austin Daily Herald

Three days after a recent fire destroyed a rural home in LeRoy, the organizers of the Good Samaritan Fund had already sent out a donation and planned a fund-raiser for the family.

The Good Samaritan Fund, part of the LeRoy Ministerial Association, does those type of activities -- helping people when they need it most.

The fund has only been operating for seven years and has helped people in the area if their homes burn down or the medical bills are too high.

Or with the first project that created the fund -- gave people a decent place to live.

"This family had a need and the town kind of got organized," said the Rev. Tom Kolden, pastor at LeRoy Lutheran Church and a representative on the ministerial association.

It all started with a woman's concern and a newspaper's advocacy.

Eileen Evans noticed a brother and sister on the east side of LeRoy were living in a dilapidated house. Evans, whose family

has owned the LeRoy Independent, said the siblings, John and Millie Viktora, occasionally asked for money.

It turned out, the siblings were being scammed out of part of their monthly pension and needed to borrow money to pay the bills. Their house was falling apart around them.

"It really was an eyesore," said Maggie Boe, who has been involved with the fund from the start.

Evans asked community members for help and found support from many. Harlan and Maggie Boe started a fund. Joe Regan and his family donated $5,000 to the siblings. The newspaper's new owners, Barry and Sarah Casebolt, wrote editorials in support of the project.

And in 1996, the Vikoras were given a trailer home in a cement foundation next to their old house. Millie Vikora still lives there and occasionally calls the Boes. John has since died.

"I think it's changed their lives," Harlan Boe said. "They were different people after they go the home."

Rev. Kay E. Steddom, a pastor at First Presbyterian Church added, "How could you help but change?"

People were so generous, that there was even a little money left over to start a fund -- the Good Samaritan Fund.

"(The fund) makes it easy to be generous because it's all set up and it's there and it's done. We take it to other people and they say good, good, good," Steddom said.

There are no requirements to receive money from the fund. It's there to help people through a setback. The group doesn't plan when it will donate money or how often. The fund just helps when help is needed.

"It a morale booster for people who don't have quite the financial need others do," Steddom said.

The organizers have held some pie auctions to raise money for the fund, but most of the time there is enough in it to help people throughout the year. Some individuals and businesses donate to the fund throughout the year. Others request that memorials be donated to the fund.

On a recent afternoon, the four sat in a Kolden's office and talked about the fund's past and the upcoming fund-raiser.

They commented that the fund brings the community together to support anyone in the area that needs assistance.

"It's nice to do stuff for people," Harlan Boe said. "It gives you a good feeling."

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at cari.quam@austindailyherald.com