Members of Penn Forest Fire Company No. 2 were the first to respond to a tragic crash on Route 903 just south of Weiler Road last week.

In the pouring rain the fire company encountered eight patients, including two teenage girls who died at the scene.Jasmine Fonseca, and Taylor Shepherdson were returning from cheerleading practice at Jim Thorpe High School.It didn’t take long for the community to step up and show their support for the girls and their families as well as the other teens injured in the crash.On Saturday morning members of the fire company stood out at the intersection of Route 903 and Route 534, the parking lot of the Dollar General and at the Teepee at Towamensing Trails in Penn Forest Township.Kidder Volunteer Fire Company also conducted a boot drive outside their fire house on Route 534.“In four hours we raised $6,688.71 for Jasmine and Taylor’s funeral expenses,” said Penn Forest Fire Company No. 2’s Chief, David Vukovic. “We received $391.75 from a bake sale at Pine Point Plaza by Cub Scout Pack No. 597 and Girl Scout Troop No. 30425.”The bake sale was the idea of Girl Scout, Jessica Walsh of Albrightsville, Vukovic said.Albrightsville Fire Company and Kidder Fire Company also donated $250 to each family.Vukovic said the fire company has received other donations in checks made out directly to the families.“I didn’t open them all, so I don’t know how much there is in total,” said Vukovic. “I know that I will be presenting a check to Carla Fonseca and Natalie Shepherdson (the girl’s mothers) for $3,500 each.”GoFundMe sites have been set up online for all six of the teens that were involved in the crash.Earlier this week both of the sites for the girls had reached its goal.The GoFundMe site for Taylor Shepherdson had raised $11,431.The site’s organizer, Lexi Pisani wrote about reaching their goal.“Thank you so much to everyone who donated and helped us reach or goal,” she wrote. “I wish Taylor was here to see how much everyone loved her.”The GoFundMe site for Jasmine Fonseca’s funeral fund has reached $12,946 in the two days since its inception.Fonseca’s site was set up by Nicole O’Toole.O’Toole also set up a fund for the Kane brother’s medical expenses. Tegan Kane was the driver of the vehicle in which the six teens were riding.His brother Korben has “life threatening injuries,” according to O’Toole’s posting. The site has raised $1,613 in two days.Michael Thorpe’s aunt, Wendy Thorpe set up a GoFundMe site on Sunday.According to Thorpe’s posting her nephew has a shattered eye socket, broken cheek bone, jaw and nasal cavity and will require extensive dental repairs. The site raised $530 in its first day.Thorpe’s uncle Steve Thorpe of Florida, said he underwent seven hours of surgery Wednesday to place four plates in his face to repair his cheek, eye socket, nasal cavity, jaw and soft palate.Taylor Schmidt’s grandmother, Bev Ehret started a page for her grandson Monday. It raised $30 in its first couple of hours.According to the posts the Schmidt and the Kane brothers are cousins.At a vigil Wednesday night, Tegan Kane addressed the crowd.Kane said of Shepherdson that he had been a very angry young man and had prayed for God to send him an angel, and He sent him Shepherdson.“I never knew what love was until I met Taylor.”Carla Fonseca told mourners at the vigil, “This is the greatest place in the world to live.“We are so very grateful to you all and know our girls are smiling down on us and are happy in heaven.”Penn Forest Fire Company No. 2 also hosted the luncheon on Monday following the services at St. Peter the Fisherman.Food was donated by a number of restaurants in the area including Gagliano’s Pizza, Valerio’s Pizza and Subs, Dom and Ali’s Restaurant, Subway and Bella Mia.“We have so many deserts and food donated by members of the community it’s amazing,” Vuckovic said.The fire company estimated that they served more than 500 people at the luncheon.