Dear Friends & Family,
There's no quick way to recover from a tragic experience such as the fire at Pine Lodge. Recovery is a slow process. It is emotional, and often painful.
All of us at the Fellowship Community are feeling these emotions and more right now, as we try to find places to comfortably house our displaced, elderly residents. These new living arrangements, while temporary, could last for up to two years during the time that a new Pine Lodge is being built.
Temporary Housing
At this moment we do not have suitable housing for all of the residents who have been displaced due to the fire. Some elders are living in shared housing, and others are in temporary, makeshift spaces. While adequate for a few weeks, traversing staircases, long walks to and from the Hilltop House dining room, and sharing bathrooms are not possible or tenable for many of our residents for the long term.
As a result, we have had to develop creative solutions in the face of such unexpected challenges! We have identified existing spaces on our campus that can be converted into comfortable, private residences for the elders who lost their homes due to the fire.
Two classrooms that are not in use will be converted into studio apartments, with private bathrooms and small kitchenettes. We're looking at other spaces that could be reimagined or altered in order to serve short and long-term residential needs going forward. Your generous contributions are making these kind of solutions possible, and make such a significant impact on the lives of those individuals who have lost everything.
Click here to help provide temporary housing for our elder community members. Your generosity, love and support is greatly needed, and deeply appreciated!
Personal Belongings
Another challenge we face is the loss of personal property for 9 residents who did not have adequate insurance. We've received many donations of clothes, furniture and home items to help support these residents, and part of your donations will be directed to help replace personal items that were lost in the fire.
Our Stories
We've asked the residents of Pine Lodge to tell their personal stories, and we look forward to sharing more details about the individuals who were affected by the fire in upcoming emails.
Warmly, Nancy Leopold, Interim Administrator
The Fellowship Community is a 501(c)(3) non-profit inter-generational community serving the needs of elders through the phases of aging, from independent apartment living to more direct care, all the way through the end of life, based on the principles of Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophy. Learn more at fellowshipcommunity.org.
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Your support makes all the difference.
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