On Sunday, Hurricane Ike took an ancillary spin through the Midwest and knocked out our power for thirty-six hours. Fortunately, Midwestern hurricanes are rare. We’re more prone to earthquakes and tornadoes around here. Ike made us a tad grumpy, and we lost some groceries and have a yard full of sticks and limbs–but otherwise we came out just fine. If I were a paranoid sort of person, I would suspect that Ike was sent here just so I’d have to clean out my refrigerator. (A clean fridge is a beautiful thing!)
Unfortunately, Hurricane Ike was far more malicious down south.
Pinckney and I want to encourage everyone to donate money to help the people whose lives were devastated by Hurricane Ike. To give you a little incentive, we’ll match your donations–up to a total of a thousand dollars–made by October first to the organizations listed below.
The first is the American Red Cross. There are thousands of people who generously volunteer every day for the Red Cross–from disaster relief to blood drives–but the organization also needs cash. They can purchase and distribute supplies faster than any one individual can.
Or, if you’re as fond of animals as I am, you might want to support the Hurricane Ike animal rescue efforts of the Galveston Island Humane Society or the Houston Area SPCA. Hrothgar and Scout would really appreciate it!
How we think this might work: My email address is laura@laurabenedict.com. Send me a copy of your donation receipt, or just something that thanks you for donating. (I think all three offer an option to have a person notified of a gift as well.) Or contact me and we’ll figure something out! All donation amounts and information will be kept completely confidential. We’d like to acknowledge the names of contributors–but if you’d rather not, please let me know.
I hope you’ll consider contributing. Any amount is welcome and appreciated. (BTW–These are all outside links. They’re not connected with us or to us in any way.)
As another small incentive, anyone who contributes a hundred dollars or more will receive a signed copy of Surreal South 2007 and one of Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts as well. (Just as soon as I get my copies in December!)
Will you help spread the word? Thank you!
It’s noon and folks have already donated $200 today–We’re off to a great start! Thank you!
OK – First, anyone who has a refridge that looks like that – well, that is just too clean. Even when my refidge was new, (17 years ago) it didn’t look that good. Imagine what it looks like now. Not pretty.
Ike kind of made it’s way through Western NY. We had a major wind storm. Personally lost power for about 5 minutes. Some were out a few days, but it really wasn’t any big deal. Up here, we are not used to hurricanes, earthquakes, tornatos, however, we do get lots of snow. Had frost this morning. Temp right now is a balmy 38 degrees.
$57 more dollars–Yay!
This is a great idea! I’m back from my lost week and can’t wait to catch up on the world.