Fundraising campaign for family of SLT Police Officer Mark Hounsell

While the community is still in shock over the death of South Lake Tahoe Police Officer Mark Hounsell, his wife Jeanne and a family friend, a fundraising campaign has started to help their children as they move forward in life without a parent.

All four of Mark's children were in the 2004 Chevy Suburban on October 17, 2015 with Mark and Jeanne when, for unknown reasons, the vehicle left the roadway and crashed, killing all three adults inside.

Two of the children, Tyler, age 14, and Lance, age 11, are Mark's children with ex-wife Lisa Fricke-Aiazzi. The other two lost both parents, six-year-old Emma and Corbin, age four.

A "Go Fund Me" account has been set up to help the kids. The goal of the fundraising efforts is to raise at least $30,000 per child to help with expenses including their every day necessities while also investing in their futures with college funds.

Since being started on Monday, October 19, the fund is growing quickly and has raised $43,281 of the $130,00 goal as of 3:00 p.m. October 20.

During Tuesday's City Council meeting, Mayor Hal Cole wants them to bring the Hounsell Family Fund on the next agenda. He said he'd like to see the City donate $5,000.

Funeral plans are being made and not yet announced. Police Chief Brian Uhler said the services will be in the Carson Valley where Mark and Jeanne lived and attended church, but that he'd look into some sort of local memorial in the future.