Dear friends,

I am full of pride, but I also recognize the power of community and friendship and am putting aside embarrassment to ask for help. On Friday, January 23rd, our dishwasher caught fire, which then set the sprinklers off and flooded our apartment. No one was home at the time of the fire. It was a freak accident, likely due to faulty wiring in a pretty old dishwasher. Both my dog and my roommates' dog were home at the time of the fire. Both pups made it out safely, which at the end, is the most important part.

Many of our belongings, sentimental and otherwise, were destroyed either by fire, smoke/soot, or water. Thousands of dollars' worth of furniture, electronics, and household items have been destroyed. On top of this, the fire department has deemed the apartment uninhabitable for several months, prompting us to move out the day of the fire, seeking alternative living situations.

These unexpected expenses have caused great hardship on top of an already stressful time of year. If you're a rowing coach, you understand that this is the time of year when we certainly don't need any additional stress (thank god this didn't happen sometime from March to June, silver linings)

I don't really know what to ask for in this situation, but what I can say is that anything in helpful and greatly appreciated by both myself and Amy. We will be using any funds to replace things that have been lost, broken, or damaged due to the fire and flooding, like furniture, mattresses, and moving expenses. Thanks for reading, and I hope your 2026 is off to a better start than mine.