New house rises next to ashes

Workers say they expect to have the walls and the roof completed by tonight.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
PULASKI, Pa. -- There was little left to do when Don Shelenberger arrived shortly after 8 a.m. Monday to help rebuild the home of Rudy and Lizzie Wengerd, the Amish couple who lost five children in a house fire last week.
"They seemed to have everything they need," said Shelenberger -- referring to the dozens of Amish and non-Amish men busy cutting boards and excavating the Wengerds' new basement.
Work started at daylight, just feet away from where the original house was destroyed last Tuesday.
Memorial service
Five of the Wengerds' nine children -- Katie, 14; Levi, 12; Neil, 11; John, 4; and Jonathan, 2 -- died in the blaze. Traditional Amish services and burial were held Saturday at an Amish relative's home. A public memorial service for the children was set for 11 a.m. today at the Mercer Livestock Auction, where Rudy Wengerd is employed.
The Wengerds and their four surviving children are staying with family until their new home is ready.
Workers say they expect the house to be done by early next week.
Digging
Most of Monday morning was spent digging the hole for the basement with dozens of Amish men clearing away dirt, while non-Amish operated larger construction equipment.
Ron Wilson, owner of Wilson Lumber in New Wilmington, where most of the donated materials for the house were stored, said they expect to have the walls and roof up by tonight and the home finished by early next week.
About 80 percent of the building supplies were donated, including lumber from nationally known companies such as Weyerhaeuser and Georgia Pacific and a $750 gift certificate for supplies from Home Depot in Boardman, he said.
Lots of help
Wilson, who is familiar with Amish customs in Lawrence and Mercer counties, said it's not unusual for the Amish to rebuild immediately after a fire, but the amount of help they are receiving for the Wengerd home is unusual.
The Amish of northern Lawrence and southern Mercer counties are organized into 14 church districts that are led by a bishop and elders.
Wilson said help is normally only offered by those living in the church district. The Wengerd home is being built by Amish from all of the church districts, as well as many non-Amish, he said.
The outpouring of help is largely due to the tragedy suffered by the family, he said.
"Unfortunately five kids died, and it happened near Christmas," he added.
Donations
Calls from suppliers wanting to donate materials started coming in immediately after the blaze, and collection jars were set up in area stores for the family.
There is also a bank fund for the Wengerds at First National Bank of Slippery Rock in New Wilmington.
Those who know the family, including Shellenberger -- who would often drive Lizzie Wengerd and her daughters to the Four Seasons Flea Market in Youngstown where they sold baked goods -- are doing what they can to help.
Shellenberger spent Monday morning picking up twigs left from a tree that was cut down to make room for the new house.
"Usually [the Amish] take care of themselves. But I decided to come out and help because we're all human beings," he said.