Hurricane Relief for Bonnie Arnold

Everyone in Jax has been touched by Bonnie Arnold through her beautiful floral arrangments.  Last week, Bonnie evacuated Jax due to Hurricane Irma.  All she had was her car, her little doggie and her 8' x 4' trailer "Blossom" attached to her car.  One week later, her son arrived at her HOME to find COMPLETE DEVESTATION from the St. Johns River flooding caused by Hurricane Irma.  

Please note:  
Bonnie's Floral Designs is still in Business!  
www.bonniesfloraldesigns.com 

Let's help Bonnie keep her home and business in Jax!


Now is the time for the Jacksonville Business Community to come together to help one of our very own ~ Bonnie Arnold of Bonnie's Floral Designs!

Here is her story.....

Posted on Facebook, 9-14-17, 6:24 a.m.
~Atlanta, GA
Bonnie Arnold

Well I've decided to forgo the pride and share my reality.

Hurricane Irma has been devastating for me.

My home is a loss. As well as everything in it. Just confirmed yesterday morning.

My son was able to get there. Watermark up to the doorknob of the studio. Everything lost.

Watermark is up to window sills of house and everything inside is drenched and ruined. Up to the mattress of my antique 4 poster bed and everything everywhere soaking dripping wet. Can't open drawers they're swollen shut.

Interesting...all the wooden floors buckled, damage everywhere... and the grandfather clock maintaining accurate time and chiming!!! I must save it somehow. It's music saves me.

Every 12 hours it re-floods with the high tides. The sewage treatment plant breeched so the river water flooding my home is filled with "treated"? sewage.

Spent the days filing flood claims, homeowners, mold/mildew, sewer back-up claims. Talking with owner of restoration company. Etc etc.

Todd went back in afternoon to take extensive pictures for insurance... couldn't get within couple blocks. The 2 pm high tide, roads impassable. Couldn't get to house.

Long exhausting days. Still hard to believe it all while I'm in ATL (mandatory evacuation) been in ATL for a week.) I no longer have my home to come home to.

My reality:

When you have your cup of coffee this morning... I no longer have a coffee pot, or a toaster or a microwave or a frying pan or spray oil.

When you open the fridge... I no longer have a fridge...I also no longer have mayonnaise or mustard or milk or eggs or...the list is endless.

When you go to the bathroom...
I no longer have towels or toilet paper or tissues or South of France bar soap or bandaids...

When you go to your pantry...
I no longer have a box of saltines w/o salt, flour, sugar, salt, pepper or any spices or olive oil or vinegar.

I not only don't have a bed... 
I don't have sheets, or blankets, fluffy comforters, pillows, electric blanket, a clock, a bedside table or a lamp.

And the lists are endless.

For about a month I generously have a home to stay in while the owners are on the West Coast.

The flood insurance will rebuild my home in the next year ...to year and a half or so (so many claims for Hurricane Matthew have yet to be paid)...and does NOT cover any living costs in the interim at all. However I shall continue to faithfully pay my mortgage.

I brought my tiny 8' by 4' trailer with me, Blossom. Which means I have a half-sized twin bed built in and much of my camping gear.

I also brought my VP Holly, and her feline sister, Emily. I have my computer tower and my passport and a couple pictures of my kids when they were little and my tiny mantle chiming clock I got from Kerstin Chelius's shop.

Grateful for what I have. Devastated and scared with the losses.

Thanks for listening. I just had to say it out loud as I cope with my reality.

We love you Bonnie and will do whatever we can to help!