Hurricane Harvey | PDXKnitterati

Hurricane Harvey fundraiser update: Thank you for participating in my fundraiser! I just sent the proceeds to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. I’m paying the PayPal and Ravelry fees, so all the pattern sale money goes to the fund.

I’m also matching the donation with a donation to UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Their US Disaster Response fund will provide relief beyond Houston, and I wanted to spread the love a little further. What I like about UMCOR is that all donated funds go towards the specific relief goal. Administrative costs are raised through One Great Hour of Sharing, and don’t come out of the disaster relief donations.

I’m really touched by the knitting community’s efforts. There are many designers raising funds for disaster relief, and I’m happy to be a part of it. I’ve purchased several patterns, too. Put it all together and we’re a mighty force!

Today is my birthday, and it’s a strange one. The beautiful Columbia River Gorge is ablaze with a wildfire caused by teens playing with fireworks in the tinder dry forest. It started Saturday on the Eagle Creek trail, and is now at about 5000 acres. (Edit, noon 9/5/17: 10,000 acres.)

Punchbowl Falls in 2014

I hiked here in September 2014; pretty pictures in blog post here. It won’t look like again this for a long time. Right now, Multnomah Falls is surrounded by fire, and the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge is threatened. My heart is breaking for one of my favorite happy places.

Ash is falling here in Portland, 40 to 50 miles away.

Even closer to home, Biscuit isn’t feeling well, so I’ve laid out a buffet to tempt her appetite. Not working yet. She was at the vet yesterday (Labor Day!) and if she doesn’t perk up today, will be back there tomorrow.

So happy birthday to me. Pray for rain for the fires, and good thoughts for relief workers, firefighters, and the Biscuit, please!

The photos of the devastation in Houston are heartbreaking, the result of unimaginable rainfall from Hurricane Harvey. I’ve been looking into charity efforts, trying to figure out how to help.

The Mason-Dixon Knitting gals are one step ahead of me; they’re donating all proceeds from their Ravelry pattern sales through August 31 to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, a fund established by Houston’s mayor and housed at the Greater Houston Community Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity. This is brilliant.

I’m following suit. From now through Saturday, September 2, 2017 (midnight PST), I’m donating all proceeds from my Ravelry sales to the same Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. If you’ve been thinking about buying a pattern, now is a great time to make it count a little more. Here’s a link to my patterns on Ravelry.

I know we as knitters want to help. Cash donations are the best way to get help to where it’s needed. While we’d love to knit something to help, Houston doesn’t need our knitted goods. Mary Mooney of the Oregonian suggests other ways to help.

I’ll be making a donation to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, and hope you’ll help me make it that much bigger.

Linden Leaf, knit with Mason Dixon Knitting’s Euroflax mini skeins, in Forest.