For those of you that have just tuned in, I have to blow some horns and pat some peeps on the back. Its been two weeks since the fires in Pateros and surrounding communities. In the past two weeks people started giving me and a couple of my girls cash donations to help the fire victims. I am not quite sure why people feel the need to let me control their money, but they do. In the past two weeks we have purchased several hundred dollars worth of sleeping bags and mini propane tanks and cook stoves to donate. We have bought $1000 worth of batteries. We have taken 4 full truck loads of donated supplied to Pateros. Spent many hours sorting, folding, calling, and researching. We came up with the hair brained idea to buy a travel trailer, stock it, and donate it to a family who doesnt have a house to live in. we are skipping the red tape and the Red Cross and giving the trailer to someone who needs it right now! In that process, 2 other people have caught wind of the idea and also donated their trailers,( fully stocked) to different families. I have a family right now that is preparing a trailer to be sent to Pateros next week. I am still collecting money to purchase another trailer. There are still people sleeping in tents. I have enough donated house supplies in my shop to fix up a family that was lucky enough to relocate to a house but has nothing to put in it. Kitchen supplies, a refrigerator, a full on living room (I still need a bed though). a cell phone, I have 4 beautiful hand made quilts donated by people who care. Its all sitting here waiting to go. We have found trucks and trailers to send to Pateros to help clean up peoples charred belongings. Did you know that if your house burns down it will cost $16,000 to have the mess cleaned up? There are people in Pateros volunteering to help people do that, so they dont have to spend the $16,000. I have a friend who took a week off his paying job to work in Pateros at a very hot and difficult NON paying job for people he doesnt even know. Who does that??????? Let me tell you who does that.....A very small and very tight knit neighboring community full of big hearts and selflessness. People from California, Indiana, Texas, Alaska and all over Washington state do that!!! Complete strangers do that. There is a lot of crap going on in the world and just when you start to lose all respect for humanity and their stupid ways, something like this happens. A devastating fire like this happens in the movies and on TV. It doesnt happen to our neighbors. It cant be real. A devastating fire has restored my faith in humanity. Its a reality check that there is good in the world and it is actually right next door. So I am giving you a virtual pat on the back and blowing some horns in your honor because if it werent for YOU....none of this could happen. Windy, Kim and I might be the ones giving you direction, and trust me...we are flying by the seat of our pants....but you are the ones that are making it happen. Thank you! thank you! thank you!...you have changed the lives of many. Whats the saying....it takes a village to raise a family. Well it takes a Village to raise another Village back on their feet. I would also like everyone to know that we are here to help Pateros for as long as they need us, but given the opportunity....we would still be delighted to kick their ass in basketball ;) hahah
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 23:50:11 +0000
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