Celebration of Life Tonight (March 19) for Seffner Sinkhole Victim Jeff Bush

A celebration of life for Seffner sinkhole victim Jeffrey "Jeff" Bush is scheduled for tonight, March 19, at the Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon.

The community memorial has been organized by the Greater Brandon Community Foundation, more commonly known as the Brandon Foundation, and its Angel program. The foundation also has spearheaded one of several drives under way to help families displaced by the sinkhole rebuild.

The memorial is in the chapel at Bell Shoals Baptist, at 2102 Bells Shoals Road in Brandon. It is set to begin at 7 p.m.

According to Rich Strehl, executive director of the Brandon Foundation, the outpouring of support for the families has been swift and steady.

"There's no way to have a bad after seeing what they're going through," he said. "Obviously, we were blown away by it. We went into overdrive mode within a few hours after it happened to answer the call for help."

From the Wicker family alone, three families have been displaced, Strehl said. The home at 240 Faithway Drive, where Bush lost his life, was owned by Leland Buddy Wicker, who now resides in North Carolina but let his children,  grandchildren and family friends use the home for lodging and weekly family gatherings.

Bush was living in the home temporarily. His brother, Jeremy, along with Rachel Wicker and their 2-year-old daughter, Hannah, were in the home when the sinkhole burst open.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Sinkhole Family Relief Fund. Checks made payable to the Brandon Foundation can be dropped off or mailed to the foundation at P.O. Box 3197, Brandon, Fla., 33509. (Note "Sinkhole Family Relief" in the memo line.)

Donations to help the families affected by the sinkhole also are being accepted online, at www.firefighter-relief.com, a site run by Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.

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BRANDON PATCH SEFFNER SINKHOLE COVERAGE (Through March 19, starting with the most recent posts):

• Community Aids Displaced Seffner Sinkhole Victims

• Memorial Announced for Sinkhole Victim

• Jaudon Family Displaced in Seffner Sinkhole Tragedy

• HuffPost Live Looks at Seffner Sinkhole Tragedy: 'Saving Us From Sinkholes'

• Seffner Sinkhole Video: 'In a Flash It Happens and the Whole World's Changed'

• Video: Final Walls Come Down on Seffner Sinkhole at 240 Faithway Drive

• 2nd Seffner Sinkhole Under Investigation as Stabilization Work Continues

• Seffner Sinkhole Homeowner: 'God Has a Plan'
  

• Seffner Sinkhole Victim Officially 'Presumed' Deceased

• Readers React to Seffner Sinkhole Tragedy

• Family Treasures Salvaged from Seffner Sinkhole Demolition
  

• Demolition Under Way at Seffner Sinkhole Site

• More Photos From the Seffner Sinkhole Site

• Seffner Sinkhole Operation Readies for Impending Demolition

• 3rd Home 'Compromised' at Seffner Sinkhole Site; Relief Fund Established

• Video: Deputy Douglas Duvall Recounts Seffner Sinkhole Heroics

• Situation 'Extremely Unsafe' at Seffner Sinkhole Site

• Family Member Recalls Horror of Seffner Sinkhole Tragedy

• Photos From the Scene of Sinkhole in Seffner

• Video: Hillsborough Fire Chief Discusses Seffner Sinkhole

• Hillsborough County Among Top 10 Sinkhole-Prone Florida Counties

• Update: Sinkhole Swallows Seffner Man Sleeping in Bed

• Video of Deputy Who Worked To Save Men From Sinkhole
  

• Video: Man Could Hear His Brother Screaming

• Video: Fire Chief Answers Questions             

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