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DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Teton County community is rallying around a local couple and their granddaughter after an early morning fire destroyed their home last week.

Donations at Driggs Elementary School have overwhelmed boxes and overflowed a car trunk with kitchen and bathroom essentials, clothing and brand new items.

“We just really care for the student who lost her home in the fire. Her grandmother also used to work here, so we have connection to her. And we know that they’re just a dear family and our heart just goes out to them. And that’s really big trial. And we wanted to support them in whatever way we could,” Driggs Elementary School librarian Patricia Jacoby said.

One of the homeowners, Tony Shupe, says he is still in shock but believes the outpouring support has been overwhelming.

“It’s kind of crazy. The overwhelming feels like the head spinning from the fire and all that. And then now all the donations are starting to come in, and part of this is going, okay, well, where do we put this stuff?” Shupe said, “We never expected this much love from the community and just some of them were just random people that just heard about this story.”

Garage Fire Destroys Nearby Home

The fire broke out last Friday, January 30th, when a nearby garage burst into flames, quickly spreading to the nearby home. While the homeowners, only identified as Jen and Tony, were able to evacuate safely along with their granddaughter, the fire left the house in ruins.

Quick intervention by local firefighters prevented the flames from claiming a second nearby home. However, the initial residence and nearly all the family’s belongings were destroyed.

RELATED: Early morning garage fire heavily damages Teton County home

How to Help: Donation Drive

The Driggs Elementary School community is coming together to support Tony and Jen’s family, that is now starting over. In a Facebook post on the school community page, neighbors outlined a list of items for donation:

Items can be dropped off directly at the Driggs Elementary School or Tetonia Elementary School building.

“Thank you, DES community, for always showing up with such generosity and care,” said Jacoby in the post.

GoFundMe

In addition to the donation drive, a GoFundMe organized by neighbor Kelli Grove is raising funds for temporary housing and immediate living expenses.

“Our hearts are heavy as we share the story of a loving grandmother (Jen) and grandfather (Tony) who have lost everything in a sudden house fire,” wrote organizer Kelli Grove. “Their home was not just a house—it was a safe haven where they have been raising and caring for their young granddaughter, providing her with stability, love, and a sense of family.”

“These grandparents have always put family first, stepping up to care for their granddaughter with unwavering love and dedication. Now, they need our help.”

As of noon on February 2, the fundraiser has reached over $2,900 toward its initial $5,000 goal. For more information, click HERE.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Bright lights and songs from your favorite animated movies will be on the stage this weekend at the Frontier Center for the Performing Arts.

“Roger’s Revue: Drawn to Music” is the Idaho Falls Youth Arts Centre’s annual benefit concert.

“We’re going to sing a lot of the favorite songs from the animated films that you’ve either grown up with or current,” saids Roger Evans, the director and mastermind behind the event.

About 50 talented performers – featuring fantastic local singers and an orchestra –  will perform your favorite songs from Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, Studio Ghibli and Sony classics. 

“There’s a lot of fun ones. There’s some sad ones, you know, like from Toy Story and what not, but it’s a great thing to bring the kids to and, and you’ll connect with all kinds of things throughout the show,” Evans said.

Two $2,500 scholarships will also be awarded Friday to local youth performers who have participated with the group.

Twenty-three songs from Tarzan, Frozen, Mulan, Tangled and Toy Story and more will be featured.

Take a sneak peak in the video above.

Performances will be at 7 P.M. on Friday, Saturday and Monday.

You can purchase tickets at ifyac.org/tickets.

High pressure remains in control this Friday, bringing sunny conditions to the start of the weekend. As this large ridge of high pressure is overhead, it is keeping conditions across the region dry and clear. Precipitation is not expected to return to the area until later Sunday evening and Monday morning.

This Friday, light winds from the northeast are forecast, resulting in a slight breeze. This especially applies to the lower Snake River Plain, where gusts only reach the teens in the afternoon. High temperatures will climb into the upper 40s and mid-50s by this afternoon.

Temperatures today and throughout tomorrow will remain above average, with our lows averaging around 10 degrees above the norm for this time of year. Increasing cloud coverage should start moving into our area by Sunday.

AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MONDAY: 

* WHAT…Poor air quality will continue. This is due to an inversion and stagnant air near the surface, which will continue to trap pollutants. 

* WHERE…Franklin/Eastern Oneida Region and Lower Snake River Plain. 

* WHEN…Until 11 AM MST Monday. 

 IMPACTS…Periods of air stagnation can lead to the buildup of pollutants near the surface. 

Inversions are expected to strengthen again, trapping some of the haze closer to the foothills and bench areas. Air stagnation advisories will remain in effect throughout the weekend. This high-pressure system will begin to weaken late in the weekend. With low pressure moving in from the south, there is a possibility of rain and snow early next week. At this time, it seems likely that we will mainly see snow in the mountains when the precipitation begins.