I am raising money for my sister and brother-in-law, Kathe and Alan Couch, who live in Ludlow, Vermont and were flooded out in last week's massive rain storms. Ludlow, which was hit the hardest, became an island as the waters poured out of the mountains and the rivers overflowed. My sister's house flooded, water filled the basement, and went up eight inches into the main floor, destroying all their appliances, carpets, and furniture. Their biggest challenge right now is the oil tank in the basement, which cracked, and 100 gallons of oil leaked into the water and saturated the concrete and wood beams. It has been recommended that they consider raising the house up four feet to protect it from future floods. While they will get monies back from insurance (thank God), it won't cover this or come close to covering all they have lost. It is economically, emotionally, and mentally devastating. I went up this week to see for myself and to be an extra pair of hands. This money could help them get back on their feet over the coming months.