Hello Crafty Friends from near and far!
I apologize for being out of touch with many of you over the last two and a half weeks. We were without power for 11 days, and still have no internet and spotty phone service.
It is with a heavy heart that I address the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. While all of our staff and families in Fort Myers survived the storm, the impact has been emotionally and financially taxing. Cars have been totaled, homes destroyed and jobs lost.
Yesterday we were able to secure an affordable boat ride to the island thanks to the kindness and generosity of Captain James and Captain Mitch at Sunset Ski & Watersports - when this is all over, PLEASE give them your patronage!
We were dropped off at Bailey Road and hitchhiked to the shop. Thanks to aerial footage and a few videos and photos that were shared with me, we had an idea that things would be rough in the mall. Unfortunately, upon entering the parking lot we found the situation to be much, much worse. The shop was engulfed in over 6' of water, leaving over an inch of sticky silt behind. Shelves collapsed, fixtures were tossed around like bean bags and inventory was scattered everywhere. We have begun the remediation process, but it will be a slow and grueling one. The store was much heavier stocked than it typically is in September due to all of the summer shipping delays. Unfortunately so many of the smaller items are encased in mud, making it difficult to see what did not wash away.
At this time I do not have any answers regarding what the future will look like for the shop. It will take a season for things to rebuild and roads and utilities to be reliable.
I am not the type of person to ask for help in any capacity, but since many of you have asked how you can provide assistance in the coming weeks, I have included a Venmo link below. We are not using GoFundMe due to the fees they charge. If you are unfamiliar with Venmo, it's an app owned by PayPal that allows money to be sent or received - similar to Zelle. THANK YOU for your continued support. We have always been blessed with a wonderful customer base, and hope to continue to assist you in you in the future.
(OPEN YOUR CELL PHONE CAMERA AND HOLD IT OVER THE IMAGE BELOW)
Three Crafty Ladies
....We are sew Sanibel
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