Eight years after she lost her life in a devastating fire in Mahoning Township, Vahnne Gower is still being remembered through a program in which donated funds are used to assist families who have experienced a loss of their home or property due to fire, disaster or other emergency.

After 9-year-old Vahnne died in a July 15, 2017, fire at the family residence on Beaver Run Drive, Vahnne’s Piggy Bank Fund was established through the Carbon County Community Foundation.

Donations to the fund can be made at https://cccfoundpa.org/piggy-bank-fund/.

The fund was established by family and loved ones to honor Vahnne and “to help bring joy and relief to children who have experienced loss of home and/or personal property in emergency events such as a house fire,” according to a fund flyer.

Following the Gowers’ house fire, one of the items that remained in Vahnne’s room was her piggy bank. Her Girl Scout troop (Troop 33, Mahoning Township) painted piggy banks and placed them in the community to take up a collection for funds to help other children who experienced house fires.

The fund is carrying on that tradition.

Vahnne was a daughter of Troy K. and Julie (Smith) Gower of Lehighton. Her father was severely injured in blaze. Her mother is a Panther Valley School District educator.

Vahnne attended church services with her parents at the Lehigh Valley Church of Christ, Bethlehem. She was especially interested in the Girl Scouts, reading and The Littlest Pet Shop.

She is survived by a brother, Trey Adam Gower of Lehighton; maternal grandparents, Dianne L. Smith of Summit Hill and Robert S. Smith of Greentown; and paternal grandparents, Kay Gower and Curtis Gower of Andreas.

Parents/guardians of children 15 and younger in the Carbon County region who experience loss of home or property, from house fire, flood or other disaster, may apply to receive one of Vahnne’s piggy banks, which may include a Visa gift card to be used at the child’s discretion to replace something lost in the incident.