Hello friends and family,

During the night of April 27th there was an accidental fire in my son Matthew's apartment. Thankfully he and his dog, Dante, were able to escape the apartment safely through a window without sustaining any serious injuries. Nothing from his apartment was salvageable, with the exception of some clothes. Adding to this hardship is the fact that he was laid off from his job due to the pandemic, so in addition to seeking a new living arrangement Matthew is also hard at work seeking a new job. Thankfully several members of the family have come forward to help with this crisis. He is safe and temporarily staying with his mother, Katherine, in Rochester, MN while he continues to seek an apartment and employment. There have also been some donations of various used furnishings and kitchenware to help for when he does secure a new apartment.

His mother and I have pledged to financially help him temporarily with the procurement of a new apartment, with deposits, application fees, and rent until he secures a new job. However, there is still much work to be done and more help needed with other expenses as he moves forward and works on starting over.

This is an uncertain time for everyone, not only in our country but the world, and it's understandably difficult for many of us to persevere as it is with what we have. However, if there are any of you who have the means to spare, in the form of financial support or material donations, know that he and the family would greatly appreciate it. If you are unable to donate then please feel free to send him good thoughts and well wishes. Everything helps in its own way and we appreciate it all. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this and consider us.

-Ralph "Bud" Baumgartner.