Aid Vee's (Michael Versandi) Hurricane Relief

On Thursday, September 26, Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina and devastated many communities. Our good friend Vee was able to evacuate to a shelter with his dog, Lila. Fortunately, his house appears to have evaded much damage, but he is looking at least $15k of property damage, and the cost estimates seem to be growing by the day. Vee has spent the past 2 years clearing out and renovating this house he calls The Blue Ghost But-n’-Ben. His plan is to have a sanctuary for music, art, and storytelling. He has already had some locals stop by to play a tune or spin a yarn.

To know Vee is to love Vee. Seriously. Who among us has not been entertained, horrified, cheered up, or brought to hysterical laughter at his antics. Top-tier buffoonery with a big heart. Vee has spent much of his time helping others, human and otherwise. He conducts tomfoolery to raise money for the Easter Island Foundation; he instituted a swear jar to collect a dollar every time he cursed and donated the total to an animal rescue. He fostered many dogs before adopting his own bullet-headed sweetheart, Lila. Even in the aftermath of Helene, he took time to help a neighbor clean out a flooded house and rebuild a pasture fence. He would happily help others before he helped himself.

While he will tell you that there are others who are far worse off than he, the reality is that $15k is a lot of money. That’s stressful. If we can alleviate some of that burden, he can get back to helping others and entertaining the masses. We might even see a Goat Puddle reunion. If you wish to help his community at large, World Central Kitchen and Shower Up have both been on the ground in and around Asheville. Asheville Humane Society is another option. Let’s keep the art flowing and the tomfoolery going.