[Woodcarver] Fwd: A Special Request... with permission

[Bill Judt]

Begin forwarded message:

From: SantaCarvinLady at aol.com
Date: November 9, 2005 12:53:17 PM GMT-06:00
To: bjudt at sasktel.net
Subject: A Special Request

Hi Bill - with your permission, please forward this to the mailing  
list?   Thanks!

Dear Friends,
As you already know, the Waveland/Bay St. Louis area in Southern  
Mississippi was nearly wiped out by Hurricane Katrina.

Hope Haven Shelter, located in that area, has served for nearly 10  
years as a refuge for abused and neglected children.    Many of these  
children’s lives were again upended when Katrina took her toll on the  
Shelter.     The storm slammed about 7 feet of water through the  
shelter, destroying everything inside and out.   The kids living  
there had to be quickly moved to various temporary foster homes in  
the northern part of the state – a tough move for anyone, but even  
harder for children whose lives are already ravaged by memories of  
abuse and questionable futures.

The Navy Seabees worked hard to rebuild the shelter’s structure, but  
in order to re-open, there is still a great need to replace just  
about everything.   The Shelter’s Director, Terry Latham, told a  
local newspaper, “We lost everything inside the shelter, and in our  
storage and activity buildings.  We just got a new van through grant  
money, and we lost that as well.”

I spoke with Mr. Latham recently, and he shared some of the  
difficulties they continue to face.    He told me that since so many  
people and organizations in the area were affected by the storm, many  
of the local donors they rely on to sustain them are unable to  
continue their support for now.

Please help us bring new hope to the Shelter and to the many children  
they care for.   Here’s how you can help:

1)  One of my new carvings, a piece entitled “Bring Hope”, is being  
auctioned on eBay, beginning today, November 9 - 100% of the proceeds  
will be donated to the Shelter.   Use this link to view the auction  
on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6577750185

2)  In addition to the auction, there is a direct link on my site to  
Hope Haven Shelter, where you can make donations directly to the  
Shelter.   Donations can be mailed directly to Hope Haven at PO Box  
3777,  Bay St. Louis, MS   39571.   Every little bit helps, so please  
send anything you can.

For every direct donation made of $100 or more, you’ll receive 10%  
off your next carving purchase with me; 20% off for a donation of  
$250 or more.     (Please be sure to mention my name when you donate,  
so Hope Haven can let me know of your contribution and we can track  
your carving credit.)

All donations to Hope Haven are tax-deductible.

Thanks so much in advance for your help in allowing Hope Haven  
Shelter continue to be “A Child’s Hope For A New Beginning”.

Teri
“Reflections of the Soul”
by folk artist Teri Embrey
www.teriembrey.com