Published in the Oct-Nov 2024 issue of the Quilt Alliance Newsletter
By now, I’m sure most of you have seen photos and videos of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. The Quilt Alliance’s home base is in Asheville, NC; since the storm in late September, QA staff have been in recovery mode and missed sending out the October issue of this newsletter.
Let me fill you in:
We gave up our brick-and-mortar office in 2017 to save money, and Debby Josephs and I work remotely in our home offices in Western NC, and Emma Parker is located in Central NC. Debby and I were unable to work for weeks due to power, cell, internet, and water outages, but we were incredibly fortunate that our homes were not damaged by the storm.
The QA’s equipment, supplies, and records are kept at a storage space on Swannanoa River Road in Asheville that was flooded to the rafters. The building is still standing (unlike the storage building next door, which is now just a concrete slab). The facility has been boarded up since the storm and we do not expect to recover any of our items (paper records, quilts, exhibition and documentation equipment and supplies). Like 95% of other businesses and individuals affected by the hurricane, the QA’s insurance policy does not cover flood damage.
This loss feels small compared to so many in our area who lost family members, homes, and jobs because of this 500-year storm. We have resumed normal operations and are working hard to make up for lost time in fundraising and project planning during this critical season in the nonprofit calendar. Thank you to everyone who contacted us to check in and send love and support.
This year’s annual donation drive is especially important and I hope you will all consider contributing whatever amount fits your budget. You can make a donation or become a QA member here (individual and guild) and I want to thank you in advance for supporting our recovery effort.
Thank you!
Amy Milne, Executive Director
