On August 5, sisters Tulsi (24), Manisha (17) and Mamata (11) managed to get out on to a roof and were rescued from the fire in their apartment above the Everest Indian Restaurant, which the family operated in Waimate's main street.
Tej Kafle (49), his wife, Tika (38), and their youngest child, Prem (8), died in the fire.
Waimate Mayor Craig Rowley set up the Everest Mayoral Support Fund at the ANZ Bank, which had received $71,724.16 in donations by yesterday afternoon.
There is also an appeal on the Givealittle website, which had raised nearly $16,000.
Mr Rowley said the community and national response to support the three sisters had been ''fantastic''.
The Everest Mayoral Support Fund at the ANZ Bank would remain open for another two weeks and the Givealittle appeal until September 30, as there were still a number of local fundraising events to be held, Mr Rowley said.
After those dates, if people were still interested in donating money to the family, there would be a way for them to do so, he said.
Contributing to the cause yesterday were staff at The Veterinary Centre clinics around North Otago and South Canterbury, by way of an appeal day.
The Veterinary Centre Waimate veterinarian partner Ryan Luckman said his clinic had initiated the support drive, encouraging the other veterinary clinics in the area to jump on board.
Waimate clinic staff dressed in mufti took part in paper plane and gumboot throwing competitions, as well as games of Bop It and Operation as part of the appeal day.
At the Veterinary Centre Oamaru clinic, a raffle had been running since Wednesday, which had attracted a lot of entries and generous donations of prizes.
The final tally of The Veterinary Centre's fundraising efforts was not known yesterday.
Appeal
Everest Mayoral Support Fund
01-0893-0081636-00, ANZ, 110 Queen St, Waimate.
