While flames reduced the Midnight Sun Coffee Roaster cafe to ashes a week ago, friends of owner Zola Dore have planned a fundraiser to help get her back on her feet.

Dore's Fourth Avenue and Black Street location opened in December 1997.

In the wake of the fire, the arts community is rallying together to raise money for Dore, who has been described as an ardent supporter and promoter of the arts in the Yukon.

'(The event) will be in the spirit of an Irish wake,' said Michele Emslie, the producer of the event. 'You know, really saying goodbye to the Midnight Sun but hello to the next phase.'

There are no strings attached to the money that will be raised, said local business owner Bev Gray, who is helping organize the Nov. 27 event.

'It's an unconditional love fund. Zola gives unconditionally all the time,' she said.

'The idea of the benefit is to celebrate the Midnight Sun �- to celebrate what the Midnight Sun meant to people in the community, because it was a real gathering place.'

The Midnight Sun provided gallery space for local artists to hang their work and was also an important meeting place for artists of every ilk, the Star recently reported.

The fundraiser will also serve as a thank you celebration for Dore's support of the arts over many years, said Emslie.

'(There) was a need to come together and celebrate Zola and help,' she said. 'In times of trouble, people really feel the need to help.'

The idea first came about when a group of Dore's close friends saw the pile of rubble at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Black Street, where the cafe and the adjacent The Nest furniture store stood until last Wednesday, Gray said.

They were devastated, deciding then and there to plan a fundraiser for Dore.

'In great small-town fashion, word started to whip around,' Gray said.

The night at the Yukon Arts Centre will feature a wide variety of local artists, including musicians and visual artists.

While the details of the event are still being finalized, Emslie said she envisions a diverse group of local musicians on stage for the main performance, as well as in the lobby and possibly the gallery.

Many artists have already come forward to offer their support, she said.

There will also be a silent auction in the lobby which will include pieces from local artists.

The event has been named Zola Lightly Roasted. The arts centre space has been donated free of charge, as have the staff and crew.

Didier Delahaye, the centre's marketing co-ordinator, said this morning there was no hesitation about participating in the event.

'It's as much recognizing the positive of what a business has been doing as a compensation for a loss,' he added.

'The problem is not what we have, it's to whittle it down to something manageable.'

While he could not estimate the number of people who will attend the event, he expects a good turnout.