In the early morning hours of Nov. 16,on Union Street in our small college town of Athens, Ohio. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.Unfortunately, the businesses on the affected block - The Union, Jackie O's, Uptown Dog, Kismet, Smoke Zone Smoke Shop, Bobcat Rentals and Jack Neal Floral - suffered considerable damage. At this time, some are reporting a near-complete loss, others extensive water and smoke damage, but all likely will need to be closed for some time as repairs are made.Our goal is to raise as much money as possible to help the employees of these businesses mitigate their lost wages while repairs are made. No household is immune to the rising costs of winter and the holiday season. These folks, many with families, have been put in their current situation through no fault of thier own.Our plan is to divide any raised funds equitably among those employees out of work due to this tragic event.Hopefully, with the unbelievable power of the Athens and Ohio University communities the day's events will be soon seen as an opportunity to bring us all closer together through the love, support, and goodwill we know our community is capable of.