A Little (A Lot!) Help from Her Friends

To Our Dear Community,

I write with exciting and hopeful news about a long-time member of our community, Esme Hall and her two young children's future, in addition to some unexpected challenges with her health and business. This is a trifecta of economic demands that would be a struggle for anyone to pull off at the same time. I am stepping in to ask for support to secure a long-term dream that life has presented our dear friend and to provide a little help with these three major life events.

1) Home Purchase:

Esme has been working towards the opportunity to purchase the house that Jack, Balin and Esme have called home since June 2021. It's a 1799 farmhouse nestled into Berlin that offers ample garden space, room to house renters if need be, and a close drive to the schools within the district. Esme has currently signed a purchase and sales agreement, has secured the significant downpayment & has the financing secured, and now having cleared those hurdles, is left to pull the resources needed to have additional cash on hand at the closing date scheduled for mid-June. Let’s keep one more VT property in the hands and hearts of Vermonters.

2) Sacred Vessel Requires a New Location to Call Home:

As if purchasing a home and single-parenting twins 12 years old were not demanding enough, the building that houses Esme’s business has changed ownership. The new owners have informed each tenant that they will need to vacate their leases for long-term renovations to the building SVT has called home since Sept 2019. Moving, updating a new space to meet the needs of her busy business, serving clients and the time it will take to make this happen, are daunting but doable.

3) Major Oral Surgery:

For those here that are self-employed, I imagine you can appreciate that adequate dental care and the corresponding insurance are often last on the list of things to pay for. Unfortunately, Esme’s body has gotten to a place where putting off surgery to replace a failed root canal is no longer possible. This is both a limiting and painful experience that has hit a breaking point. She will be scheduled for tooth removal and the next steps for a dental implant this spring. Into summer. This will also require her to take adequate time off for optimal healing.

Esme is a single mother, small business owner, and lifelong Vermonter who is on the cusp of becoming a first-time homeowner. With only 2 months till closing, the need to relocate her business and have major oral surgery performed, she can't do it without a little help from her friends.

If you are able and inspired, there are several ways that you could support Esme in this final leg of a long process. Any gesture of your kindness and support would help Esme and her children in ways of deep meaning, and I am grateful for your consideration and any actions you can make.

There is power in the community and I know Esme will continue to do all that she can to show up in meaningful ways along the way as she and her kids put permanent roots down in Berlin. I appreciate you all. Thank you for your warmth, encouragement and support of our dear friend.

Respectfully,

Kristin Warner