Hi, I just got home from running some errands, and there was a phone message waiting for me. Two dear friends of mine (husband and wife, both in their '70s, living on social security and a small retirement pension), lost their home to a fire today. They weren't home at the time, so at least they're okay, and now they're staying in a local hotel for the moment. Though they owned their home (fully paid for), they didn't have much in the way of material things--except for the several small cedar strip boats my friend had built (a couple canoes, three kayaks, a rowing shell, and a beautiful Cosine Wherry). All lost to the fire. He also lost his lifelong collection of woodworking tools. Building/fixing small wooden boats is his passion, and it's how he has kept himself young; both in the building and the paddling/rowing of his boats. His large garage was a beautiful woodworking shop, where he could even cut and shape his own cedar strips, etc. I haven't been able to speak with him yet (just missed him at the hotel he's staying at), so I don't know what their home insurance situation is. All I know is that I want to help in any way I can to get them back on their feet. Since simplifying my own life several years ago, I don't have much to give either, but I'll do whatever I can. I know that even if he can build another house (I sure hope he has decent insurance!), he'll go absolutely nuts if he can't get back to his boat building as well, as this really was his dream of retirement that he was living so happily until this sad moment. I'm trying to think of a way that I can set up a website through which woodworking tools could be donated, but I have no experience with either website building or donation gathering of this sort. If anyone here has ideas that I might be able to work with, please do let me know; either here on the list or via private email. Thanks! -- Melissa *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> Hi, > > I just got home from running some errands, and there was a phone > message waiting for me. Two dear friends of mine (husband and wife, > both in their '70s, living on social security and a small retirement > pension), lost their home to a fire today. They weren't home at the > time, so at least they're okay, and now they're staying in a local > hotel for the moment. > <snip> > I'm trying to think of a way that I can set up a website through which > woodworking tools could be donated, but I have no experience with > either website building or donation gathering of this sort. If anyone > here has ideas that I might be able to work with, please do let me > know; either here on the list or via private email. > > Thanks! > > -- > Melissa The Acoustic guitar newsgroup regulars recently did a collection of bits and pieces of guitar related stuff for some people in New Orleans that had lost their equipment (and therefore their livelihood) during katrina. The way they did it was to simple have one member act as the coordinator and people who could give contact him. He did the original legwork to see what would be most needed, and then he simply took what he could from the people who responded. The process was quite successful and three or four different musicians were ultimately given the tools to get back to work. I don't believe that it was extraordinarily stessfull for the guy doing the coordinating, and certainly the glow he got from the thankful recipients more than compensated him for his work. Why don't you start by finding out about the insurance, and also whether or not your friend even wants to start over. (Hard to believe he wouldn't, but still... Maybe he'll want to get back to it, but after a time to recover from the emotional loss.) If there is stuff that isn't covered, maybe you could post a list and we could see about filling it. All the best, -- Darryl *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Darryl, Thanks! I appreciate the ideas you've offered, and will be considering all the many good ideas people have been sending me. Wednesday, December 12, 2007, 7:24:09 PM, you wrote: > Why don't you start by finding out about the insurance, and also > whether or not your friend even wants to start over. (Hard to > believe he wouldn't, but still... Maybe he'll want to get back to > it, but after a time to recover from the emotional loss.) I'm about to leave the house to see them in a few minutes, so I'll know more soon. I know that I'll be busy helping them with more immediate needs for the next several days, and I've got to think about how best to implement this tool drive, so that will take a bit of time as well. I know that my friend will want to get back to his boat building, as even last night when I finally got in touch with them he mentioned his boats (never heard this cheerful man's voice sound so sad and subdued; though it's certainly understandable). These people have the most wonderful optimistic outlook; even at this devastating moment. In spite of their great loss--emotionally even more than materially--I'm encouraged, though not at all surprised, by the strength of their character, and their faith that "things will work out". These humble and generous people are the kinds of heroes I really admire. > If there is stuff that isn't covered, maybe you could post a list > and we could see about filling it. Thanks. As mentioned above, I'll be busy for a while helping with their more immediate needs, but as soon as possible, I will be dealing with this tool drive idea; starting with my own tools and other types of things they may find useful right now. Though there will still be sadness for their loss, I want their Christmas to be one filled with hope and as much genuine joy as possible. The helpful responses I've already received from so many paddlers/builders has shown me that this is possible, and I really appreciate all of your ideas. Thanks again...to everyone! -- Melissa *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Hi everyone, I have an update...with some good news. Wednesday, December 12, 2007, 6:17:45 PM, I wrote: > I'm trying to think of a way that I can set up a website through > which woodworking tools could be donated, but I have no experience > with either website building or donation gathering of this sort. If > anyone here has ideas that I might be able to work with, please do > let me know; either here on the list or via private email. I just spent a few hours with my friends, and there is some good news to report. First, the damage, while still extensive and devastating, wasn't quite as total as it was first portrayed to me by someone else I spoke with yesterday after I heard the news (I was told that *absolutely everything* was burned to the ground). While there was damage in the woodworking shop, and to some of the boats and tools, the worst of the damage was to the rest of the house (lost many things with great personal significance, but they were able to salvage a few little things as well). Until I know more about just what might really be needed in the shop, I'm calling off the "tool drive" project for the moment. I know that a lot of his boat building wood stock was burned up, as he stored much of it in an area that was burned to a crisp. If it turns out that there's still a need for some help, I'll certainly be taking all your helpful suggestions into consideration. Now, for the even better news... My friends were actually surprised at just how good their insurance coverage was! We'll continue some salvage efforts over the next several days, but on Monday, contractors will be at the site to start the demolition and reconstruction of the house. In the meanwhile, it seems that the insurance is also paying for finding them a house to stay in while their own is being rebuilt. Hopefully, they'll be out of the hotel room in just a few days. After I post this message to the couple other places I posted the original message, I'm off to do some shopping for them (all they have left of their clothing is what they were wearing while they were away from home during the fire). While it's still a devastating loss for them, I'm so glad that first reports of the damage were at least somewhat exaggerated. Thanks again to everyone who offered helpful ideas, good wishes for my friends, and offers of your own tools and supplies...both here on and through private email! As I learn more, I'll post another update. -- Melissa *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> Hi everyone, > > I have an update...with some good news. > <snip> Glad to hear that things -- while still bad for your friends -- are better than you (and they) thought. Good vibes coming at them from this corner of the world... -- Darryl *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Wednesday 19 December 2007 00:55, Melissa Reese wrote: > Hi Tord, > > Tuesday, December 18, 2007, 3:06:26 PM, you wrote: > > Wish we were closer, so we could give them some spare tools! > > > > Just now extremely low on cash as well - sorry! > > Thank you for your concern, and I can certainly appreciate your > circumstances. There is some good news though (I posted an update to > the PW list a couple days ago about this). Just quickly though... Hi Melissa, I get the digest, usually once a week, but this is great news! My parents lost their summer cottage through fire (lightning struck the phone lines - the power was off), and my dad never recovered fully, and died prematurely. He was 51 when the house caught fire ... We didn't own the house, we just had a 49 year lease, and while this blockhouse-like building had been damaged severely, it was very much repairable (some blasting and repairing the holes in the roof and floors and new cupboards in the kitchen would have been enough to make it OK), but the owners wanted to destroy the remains and build a modern house instead. It was generally the interior that was smoke damaged, and all dad's documentation of the year in the countryside was severely damaged, or plain destroyed. Being a professional botanist, and an avid ornithologist, those documentations would have been something for researchers to bite into later. He planted about 2,500 different spieces in the garden - all carefully reigstered with latin names, et cetera (most eaten by the rodents, deer and hares). When my father found the abandoned house in 1958 it had a small maple behind the kitchen entrance (still there, but now gigantic - checked a few months ago - first revisit in a few decades) and in that tree 'our own' black bird spent most of his time when he was in a singing mode. Mr Black Bird loved to imitate other birds - I think my dad had registered that it did 84 other spieces of birds, plus some other animals, and sounds, like a steam train's whistle. My dad wondered where this little bird had met up with all these spieces, many totally unknown in our part of the world - where did our little friend go during the winter?! Today it would be possible to attach a little transponder and follow it all the way south, but it wasn't possible then! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, by the way, to you and your friends! Tord & Ann-Christine, Sweden *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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