9/21/08 UPDATE - SU Demos Disaster Response Network

Gretchen Barron sent the following e-mail this morning to all Demos who have expressed an interest in helping their fellow Demos affected by Hurrican Ike.  I'm posting it here as a reference, as well as for those Demos who would still like to help.  As you can see, there is still a need.  If you'd like to see the original posting, click here - John

Hello everyone! You are receiving this e-mail because you have responded in some way to our appeal to help Stampin' Up! demonstrators who have lost supplies in recent hurricanes and floods. If you do not wish to receive further updates, please e-mail me and I will take you off the list!

 

It's been another long day but I wanted to try and get this update to you before tomorrow. We now have a total of 4 demonstrators that we are helping or will be helping and I know there are more out there. Your gifts and e-mails and prayers and concern have been so overwhelming for me as I sit on this side of the computer and I can only image for those who will soon be receiving the tangible reminders of your incredible and amazing generosity. I want to keep this as short as possible so here we go.

 

Marilyn Dollar and her family (Chicago) have returned to their home but still have no phone service, hot water or heat. They had a new hot water heater installed today but there is still wiring and plumbing that needs to be done before it is operational. A new washer and dryer will be delivered on Monday. Marilyn and her husband have two young boys, ages 7 and 11. Their basement needs to be completely gutted and they are still trying to clean up the debris. Mold is already forming so they are anxious about getting the rest of the walls torn out and removed from the house. Despite this, Marilyn hopes to resume her Technique class by next Saturday, even if they have to meet outside on a picnic table. She realized today that the stamps which she had been able to salvage are just too saturated with flood water and sewage and already growing mold and has now thrown them out which means she has absolutely nothing left. She had saved some punches as well but they are already rusted.  I have attached a list of the things that have already been donated for Marilyn but the following is the new list of things that we identified that she needs in order to get her business up and running again. If you are able to help with any of these items, please contact me first to make sure we are not duplicating our efforts and then I will e-mail you her mailing address and contact information. If you would like to donate cash, she is able to receive payments via PayPal at [email protected]. Here's the new list of needed items for Marilyn:

 

• color caddy (for stamp pad storage)
• Heat Tool and Embossing Powders
• Embossing Buddy and Powder Pals
• Crop-a-dile
• Table Top Paper Cutter
• Watercolor Wonder Crayons
• Blender Pens
• Sponge Daubers
• Paper Crimper
• Brayer
• SNAIL and Refills
• Stampin' Scrub and Stampin' Mist
• Perfect Layers (this is discontinued but she really loved hers so if anyone has one they are not using, she would be overjoyed)
• Coluzzle and Templates
• Sticky Strip
• Brads, Buttons, Jumbo Eyelets
• Square Punches (3/4" and 1 1/4")
• Oval Punches (all sizes)

Stamp Sets:

• Tableau of Terror
• Batty for You
• Haunting Halloween
• Season of Joy
• Snow Burst
• Holly Jolly Christmas
• Punch Pals

Donna Kirk Smith -- Donna lives in Texas. She was able to salvage most of her supplies but lost all her cardstock and paper. She has been overwhelmed by the gifts that you have pledged to send her and feels that her needs are well met at this time, in fact she may be getting more than she can use but she plans to Pay-It-Forward! This was her response in the e-mail she sent me today:

Gretchen -- I looked at this list again this morning and I just cannot believe the generosity shown by all you ladies.  It's quite overwhelming.  I have contacted the many other demos in my area to see what their needs are so that I can share these items with them.  Again, I cannot believe that you ladies, who do not even know me, would help in such a way.  God bless you."  Donna's e-mail address is [email protected] . She seems to think that she is in good shape so unless she notifies us otherwise, we do not need to send anything additional to her (except for what has already been confirmed yesterday). I have attached the list of pledged items for Donna as well.   Courtney Fowler also lives in Texas with her husband and very young son and daughter. They have been displaced since Hurricane Ike and will return home for the first time tomorrow to assess the damage. They anticipate the worst. They know there is major roof damage over the area of the house where her stamp room was located. They also know there is no water, sewer or electricity.in their neighborhood.  Courtney and her children have been staying with in-laws in Central Texas while her husband (a firefighter) is working with a search and rescue team in the Gulf area. Her young son was at the ER two nights ago with strep throat. Courtney's blog address is http://www.createdbycourtney.blogspot.com/.  She has posted some photographs there that a neighbor took of the damage to their yard. You will also find a link to her husband's blog, telling of his work with the search and rescue team. There will no doubt be major damage and lots of supplies needed by Courtney so I will update this information as it becomes available.   I was also contacted today by another demonstrator in Texas who has a member of her downline whose house was completely destroyed in the hurricane. I can't give you her name yet because I've not been able to contact her but I hope that we will be able to give her some assistance when we know of her needs. She and her family are currently staying in a small camper. Her upline writes: "......the kitchen, breakfast room, living room and 2 bedrooms were destroyed by trees falling on them. We don't know if they will be able to repair anything or will need to rebuild." When this demonstrator called demo support last week, the person she talked to didn't know 'who ike was' and asked if she could call her back with more info (and hasn't called back yet)".  Once they are able to assess their situation, I'm sure there will be things that we can send to this young demonstrator. Her upline has offered to have things sent to her home where she can store them until they are in a larger place or return back to their home.   I know there are more demonstrators who have been affected and we will undoubtedly have opportunities to help them as well. I want to thank you for the generous outpouring of your hearts for these sisters in need. I will update to this list as often as needed and also to my blog at www.gretchenbarron.typepad.com. Please help spread the word -- feel free to forward this e-mail or my blog address to any you know of that might be able to help and if you know of those who might need help, please send me their contact information. Together we will make a difference!

Comments

[Britiney]

I have a small powder pal tray and the perfect layers. Please let me know where to send them.
Britiney

[Connie Paxman]

thank you for posting this john....going through my goodies.
connie paxman