Fundraiser organized for widow of Plum house explosion victim
Jared Schneider, a German teacher at Butler Intermediate High School, said he and other language teachers at Butler Intermediate High School have high hopes for a concert fundraiser they organized after word the Aug. 12 house explosion in Plum that killed six people and injured at least five made news worldwide.
Among the injured was Spanish teacher Jacqueline “Jackie” Thomas.
The Rock for a Cause concert will be held Sunday, Oct. 22 at Jergel's Rhythm Grille in Warrendale.
“This explosion has made the German news; it was international news, not just national,” he said. “The departments and different teachers got together and are making baskets, some are donating their time just to work together to support (Thomas). My hope is that a lot of people show up.”
Jackie Thomas’ husband, former Saxonburg borough manager and Plum borough manager Michael Thomas, was one of six people who died. He was in the home that exploded, which belonged to Plum borough employee Heather Oravitz. Jackie Thomas is on temporary leave from work.
The Thomases’ own home was next door and was also damaged in the explosion. Jackie and the couple’s daughter, Hannah, along with their dog, were in that home at the time of the blast.
Oravitz, Plum’s director of community development, was also killed in the blast. Her husband, Paul, initially survived and was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, but succumbed to his injuries Aug. 16.
Casey Clontz, his son Keegan, and Kevin Sebunia also died in the blast.
French teacher Valerie Lepage said staff of Butler Intermediate High School have worked together to organize the fundraiser for Thomas.
Rock for a Cause will raise money through ticket sales, which cost $10 online and $15 at the door, and tickets for basket raffle sales. The concert will feature BB Steal and 80’s Live, which Lepage said are fun, family-friendly rock bands whose members are donating their time to the event.
All of the money raised by the event will go to Jackie and her family, Lepage said.
“Jackie, she is definitely missed while she is not here,” Schneider said. “We're all trying to get together to support her as much as we can.”
