From the Forest Lake Times........
Fund drive for soldier tops $8400

A soldier who earned the Purple Heart in Iraq but lost his townhouse to an arsonist in Fridley this summer is heartened by the money being donated in his behalf for a down payment on a house.

In all, more than $8400 has been raised to date.

As of last week, more than $2400 had been donated by people from all over the region who read the story of Army Spc. Stephen Major.

In addition, VFW Post 4210 in Forest Lake raised $6000 at a dinner for the family on Friday, Aug. 31.

The funds will be invested in a high-yield certificate of deposit and used for the $6000 needed for the down payment, said Christ Bairaktaris who organized a separate fund-raising effort through his non-profit Project Hope North, Inc., Forest Lake.

Bairaktaris said last week that he is receiving checks from Little Falls, Elk River, Forest Lake and the Anoka County communities.

Army Spc. Major is using the military pay he received from serving 15 months in the Iraq War to pay his bills.

Major grew up in the Forest Lake area and graduated from Forest Lake High School. The family is living in North Branch.

His family, including three children, lost most of their possessions in a fire caused by an arsonist, just after he got home from Iraq.

Money can be donated for Major through Project Hope North Inc., P.O. Box 438, Forest Lake. Bairaktaris can be reached at 651-464-7263.

Tribute To The Troops donated $1,000.00 August 31, 2007 to help Stephen and his family.