Vermont Flood Relief
The word of the week is overwhelm.
I’m overwhelmed with gratitude, that we got through this storm with minimal damage, that my husband and housemate made it safely home, that we had a small generator that kept fridge running and powered the sump pump to contend with the 10” of water in the basement
I’m overwhelmed with love for my neighbors, and the way they banded together in the aftermath of the storm- one of my neighbors (who happens to be the governor) saw that another neighbor’s extremely long driveway had been utterly ripped apart from the power of the rain. He spent Saturday on a piece of heavy machinery, repairing the entire length of it.
I’m overwhelmed with sadness as the flood waters recede and the destruction is becoming visible visible. The heartbreaking stories I’m reading of businesses that made it through the pandemic by the skin of their teeth, but that may not be able to take a second hit. The piles of wet, sodden, muddy belongings, inventory, spoiled food, in a dejected heap to be discarded. The story of an 11 year old girl who was holding her terrified cat in her arms when the animal leapt from her grasp in a panic and this child watched her pet get swept away by the storm. Livestock like cows, chickens, bunnies, and pets lost to floodwaters.
And overwhelmed with the desire to help but not knowing where to start.
Right now, money seems to be the thing that many places need. Families, farms and businesses who have lost everything, and need to start over.
And because I express myself through jewelry, I decided to make a few pieces of jewelry specifically to try and raise some funds for disaster relief.
I’ve made a small umbrella pendant- if you’re touched by the stories and images you’ve seen in Vermont, but perhaps don’t have any specific ties to the state, the umbrella represents shelter, protection and acts of kindness- (sharing your umbrella with someone- walking them to their car under cover- ensuring they stay dry- it’s a small act that goes a long way.)
I’ve also made a Vermont pendant, protected by an umbrella, and a Vermont pendant with a crack going through it- the crack runs through the areas of Vermont that were most impacted by the flood. From the crack, flowers bloom- much like a lotus blooms from the mud. There’s also the Leonard Cohen line “there’s a crack through everything, that’s how the light gets in”
These are all pre-order pieces, meaning once the order comes in, I’ll get to work making them, so please allow up to 6 weeks for me to get these made for you and shipped- but the monies will be donated on a weekly basis
I’ll be donating 25% of sales on ready- made goods, and 40% of the sale of the “disaster” pendants to various different organizations as well as individual businesses affected by the recent flood.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out, checked in on me, purchased jewelry or sent monetary gifts. I’m overwhelmed with love.
❤️ erin
