I finally got to talk to my best friend, Lynn, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa last night.  DH and I had frantically been looking for her cell number since the flood, and she even called once – but, I kept losing her phone number.

I lived in CR for a couple of years, when I was 19.  I went to cosmetology school there, and that’s where I learned to bartend.  The supper club that I worked in was managed by Lynn, and although we didn’t like each other when I started – over time, we became fast friends.  Out of all of the friends that I’ve had and held onto over the years, Lynn is the one that I call on a regular basis.  Lynn is the one I can count on to lift up my spirits or to share in the joys and sorrows of life.  And visa versa.

And now Lynn has lost nearly everything in the flood.  When her dad passed away some years ago, she and her husband decided they wanted to live in the family home.  So, she purchased it from her brothers and has lived there ever since — well, until a month ago.  When the flood waters rose up to the top of her kitchen cabinets.  And, unfortunately, she was in the 500 yr. flood plain, so she wasn’t required to have flood insurance.  They knew the waters were coming, so they moved all of their possessions up from the basement to the main level.  Obviously, they didn’t expect the main level to flood – but, it did.  She said she recovered one or two things that were above the flood waters, but that wasn’t much.

But, bless her quilted heart, all of her sewing machines and quilt stash were upstairs in her house – and nothing there is damaged!

At this point, they’re gutting the house and garage, and waiting for the city to either condemn or give them the go-ahead to repair the damages.  They’re also waiting on FEMA to find out if they’ll get a mobile home to live in, temporarily.  They can’t do much else, except wait and pray that all will work out.  Lynn’s daughter lives in CR, too, so at least they have a dry place to stay.

But, I did receive an email from Kaye England of Kaye England Publications, who sent out a call for help for other not-so-fortunate quilters who lost everything in the flood:

QUILTERS HELPING VICTIMS:  We are keeping all the flood victims in our thoughts and our good friend Jill Reicks at Pine Needles Sewing Center in Cedar Rapids Iowa has agreed to be a clearing house for donations to assist those that lost everything.  We ask you to look about your sewing space – what do you have too much of, too many of, or just things you don’t use?Consider those that lost everything and we would ask you to send anything you are willing to part with to Jill.  She and her staff will make sure that all of these items fall in the hands of those that need them most.
 
After this event, I looked about my sewing room and wondered what I would do if everything in it was lost.  I would hope my first thought would be that all people were safe, but I would be very sad to loose all of my goodies.  It is a good chance for us to “play it ahead” and share with those that have lost everything. If you have anything you wish to share, books, threads, needles, patterns, notions or????
 
Then send to:
Jill Reicks
Pine Needles Sewing Center
1000 Old Marion Rd NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Thank you

Please help, if you can.  That’s what having a quilter’s heart is all about!