Christmas Joy: A New Home For Doreen as Western Montanans Step Up

We doubt the fact that it's the Christmas season has had anything to do with the outpouring of support for this gal.

Spring. Winter. Summer. Fall. It's just the way they do things for each other in the Bitterroot Valley. Of course, this time of year certainly adds some emotional, feel-good holiday cheer to the whole story.

While we don't have the details on what led to the displacement, we got word from folks in Hamilton that an 86-year-old woman named Doreen recently received news that she was being forced to leave her home of 17 years. As you can imagine, moving costs along with a security deposit and two months of rent is not something most 86-year-olds have just sitting in the bank. And at that age, the whole process would be a tremendous mental and physical ordeal.

So, what did Hamilton do? Organizers fired up a GoFundMe campaign to help Doreen. Her friend Kaye posted, "Our sweet friend Doreen is being forced out of her home of seventeen years and needs help moving into a new place. To make this move she will need money for a security deposit, the first month’s rent, and rental insurance. She is too proud and stubborn to ask for help so we are raising these funds for her. At 86 years old, she deserves a safe comfortable place to live."

The Doreen Team set what they thought was probably an ambitious goal of $5,000 to help Doreen cover all the expenses involved. We are happy to report that the campaign thus far has exceeded $6,000!

That doesn't mean that more donations won't be welcomed or put to good use. If the holiday spirit moves you, Doreen's fundraiser page is here. And thanks to our friends at GoFundMe for sharing this heartwarming story.