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Post by islandguy on Nov 3, 2011 23:41:34 GMT -4
Can you please help us to feed as many families as possible during the Thanksgiving holiday? I am coordinating another fundraiser this year to help benefit the many families here in Queen Anne’s County that are not able to provide for themselves. Be thankful for what you have and contribute to those who cannot afford the blessing of a warm meal on Thanksgiving. As you sit around your table, you are thankful for all of the family and friends that surround you and the abundance of food that you get to enjoy. Make that happen for a family in our area who cannot do it alone. Any little bit helps!
Last year we were able to provide Thanksgiving Dinner to almost 150 people here in the county. Aside from the normal challenges of a tough economy and high unemployment, there are actually more families in need this year than last year. A large number of these families have recently experienced severe devastation from Hurricane Irene a couple months ago in the Millington area and have been displaced from their homes. They are still living in temporary housing and have lost many of their possessions. There is a local church that is planning on cooking and serving Thanksgiving Dinner to this group, but needs assistance to help pay for it. With your generous support, we can make this Dinner happen for many deserving families.
The best way to help this effort is by donating grocery store gift cards. We have been told that “Acme” and “Walmart” are the most convenient and useful. If these stores are not convenient to you, then donating a check or packaged foods can help as well. Anything you can do is a big help!
Donations need to be in by NOVEMBER 15th. Please PM me to arrange a pick up of your donations.
Thank you in advance and I hope you can help out.
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Post by islandguy on Nov 6, 2011 12:37:46 GMT -4
YOUR HELP IS STILL NEEDED!!
There are about 10 days left for all donations to be collected. Your generosity will help many families be able to enjoy Thanksgiving in a more traditional way.
If you want to drop off canned or packaged foods, Ramshead Shore House has a collection box that may be more convenient for you. Also, Ramshead will be holding a 50/50 Raffle for the next 2 Wednesday evenings during their Trivia competition to help support this fundraiser. R's Americantina and Denise with Retro Trivia Challenge will also be hosting a 50/50 Raffle this coming Thursday! Try to make it out to these fun events to help us out!
Many thanks to all that have donated up to this point!
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Post by islandguy on Nov 6, 2011 14:57:01 GMT -4
The following was written by SEQUEL and posted on my Facebook event page. Some of you may remember her from KIO.
Some of you may know me, some of you may not; however, to each and every one of you I send my personal greetings. I had resided on Kent Island for 15 before relocating to Millington, MD three years ago and I want to share with you what I personally witnessed, for the first time in my life, that being the horrible devastation Irene wreaked on families. But, first, I would like to take the time to personally thank each of you for supporting Doug Edmunds in his tireless efforts to provide a kindness to the citizens, our friends, and neighbors who have suffered through this catastrophe by providing for yet another year, a traditional Thanksgiving meal to all that he can. Your support this year will not only provide this kindness to Queen Anne's County but also to those still-displaced residents of Millington in Kent County.
It has been two months since this event and I am aware that there still are families who have not been successfully placed in temporary permanent housing. I am aware that most have not even heard from FEMA regarding applications they have submitted for assistance. I am aware that all re-construction/renovation of their homes has come to a complete standstill after they have completely gutted the interiors. I am aware that insurance companies have informed these people that unless they raise their existing flood-damaged homes to current Code (some dating as far back as 1940) that they will cease to insure said homes even though they admit they doubt these homes would survive being raised. I am also informed that to raise one home would be approximately $30,000 and that insurance will not cover it. I am informed that federal flood insurance is somewhat of a joke.
These people (and their children) have sustained a total and complete loss of not only every personal item they owned and treasured, but now face the very potential loss of their actual homes they've lived in -- and generationally for most. That's a tremendous amount of love and loss to take on at one time. There but by the grace of God, let us all remember that could be any one if not all of us at any time. To me, that equates to personal responsibility. The house I'm in was built to Code, as well as two others near me. I personally sustained no damage by one cinder block in the foundation except for the total loss of my completely flooded vehicle -- that's six feet of water that we were flooded with and required rescue via boats as a result of the railroad tracks blowing out and the Chester River engulfing us. I will never ever forget that day.
I will never ever forget the looks of devastation and pain on my neighbors' faces. The piles of personal belongings thrown about every yard. The God-awful rotten stench, the mud, how filthy everything was and smelled after the water receded the next day and for weeks later, the roll offs being brought in and filled to capacity. Most on foot because their vehicles were destroyed, too. I'm not ashamed to say I just cried for days. Yet, to see the resiliency of these people marching to a different drum to complete the tasks that needed to done will also always be etched in my memory. Doug has been in contact with Asbury United Methodist Church here in Millington and has asked them to accept our help in providing a Thanksgiving meal to these residents of Millington. Asbury has graciously accepted his offer. Please don't let us let them down. If you have not yet participated in donating to this effort, I am asking that you consider possibly doing so now and prior to November 15 to enable Doug to coordinate the delivery of the donations for which I will be transporting whatever is to go to Millington. I thank you for taking the time to read this and hope it stirs you to act on behalf of those in our counties. I know so many more were horribly affected by this devastation, but we can at least start here and now. Thank you all.
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Post by islandguy on Nov 21, 2011 22:00:25 GMT -4
I AM THANKFUL FOR ALL THE GREAT FRIENDS that made my Thanksgiving Fundraiser a big success this year! I really appreciate all the support that each of you gave to help others that are challenged on this Holiday Season. Through your generous donations we were able to make a great impact on so many families. After all the donations were counted, we are able to provide a complete Thanksgiving Dinner to 282 people! What a great gesture on everyone's part for making this a nice holiday for so many. Thank you all again for your generosity and willingness to make a difference for others.
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