10/06/2024
Thanks to everyone who checked on me last week when Helene wreaked havoc here in St. Pete. I am fine and my apartment is dry. Many of my students and colleagues at Shorecrest Prep were not so lucky- over 15% had significant flooding from a record storm surge. One student told me the water came up so fast her family had to swim out a window to safety, losing everything. Numerous families will be displaced for many months as rebuilding takes place. Now we are looking at a direct hit by another CAT-3 storm on Wednesday.
On top of that, I have been distraught by seeing what is happening in Asheville where I lived for 18 months. It took days to hear from all my friends. While they are all safe, they are not OK.
If you are looking for a way to help- here are options. Even $10 makes a difference.
1. Help one of my chemistry students, Donyae, and her mom who lost their car and will get little, if any, insurance money for it. The funds will go toward a reliable car to get Donyae back and forth to school from Clearwater. https://gofund.me/4043dd8f
2. Help a Spanish teacher at my school- Marina Pallares. They had more than 3 feet of water in a one-story house and lost almost everything. The funds raised will go towards replacing their furniture, clothing, appliances, and whatever else insurance won’t cover. https://gofund.me/c689dbe9
3. A friend from Asheville Daniel Martin and his wife Danna have been driving supplies up into the mountains for folks. Now they are using the donations they receive to help the private helicopters get into the hard-to-reach areas. You can donate directly to Danna’s Venmo account @ dannamartin The last 4 digits of the phone are 5039
Would you consider making a difference by donating and/or sharing this post?
And prayers are quite welcome for this coming week!
