Ward 5 Business Council Establishes Tawana Gantt Fund to Assist Victims and Survivors of Jackson Street, NE Fire

Office of Ward 5 Councilmember Harry "Tommy" Thomas, Jr.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2009

Contact:

Vicky Leonard-Chambers
202. 727. 8204 (desk)
202. 683. 9053 (cell)
vleonardchambers @ dccouncil.us


Ward 5 Business Council Establishes Tawana Gantt Fund
to Assist Victims and Survivors of Jackson Street, NE Fire

Washington DC - At the request ofWard 5 Councilmember Harry "Tommy" Thomas, Jr., the Ward 5 Business Council has established the Tawana Gantt Fund at Cardinal Bank to assist with funeral arrangements for Tawana Gantt and the five other family members who perished with her in the January 1, 2009 Jackson Street, NE house fire: Ms. Gantt's daughter, Kaniya, age four; Oscar Wilson III, age 11; Joseph Wilson, age 10; Keith Nelson, age 23; and Charles Smith, age 72.

Ms. Gantt, 22, was a dedicated employee in the office of Councilmember Thomas where she worked on constituent service and Ward 5 Business Council issues.

Check may be made payable to the Tawana Gantt Fund and sent to:

Tawana Gantt Fund
c/o Ward 5 Business Council
PO Box 90918
Washington, DC 20090

Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming.

"Tawana was a hard worker," said Councilmember Thomas. "She had an incredibly cheerful, positive attitude and willingness to lend a hand wherever and whenever needed. We will all miss her."