[TheForge] Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort

[Jake Goulding]

Hey guys and gals:

LeeAnn Mitchell, the Central Office Administrator, asked me to pass  
along word of ABANA's hurricane relief effort.

You can find more information at the ABANA website, in the news  
section here:

http://www.abana.org/cgi-bin/whatsnew/wnnews.cgi? 
v=news&c=Latest_News&id=09042005173452

I have copied and pasted the text of the letter below. You can find a  
printable PDF copy on the website to print and share with those who  
might not otherwise get to see it. Thanks for any support you can give!

Jake Goulding
webmaster at abana.org

BEGIN COPY>

Artist-Blacksmith's Association of North America, Inc.
PO Box 816
Farmington, GA 30638 USA
706-310-1030 tel
706-769-7147 fax
abana at abana.org
www.abana.org

September 9, 2005

Dear ABANA and Affiliate Members,

John Steel, president of the Pittsburg Area Artist-Blacksmiths  
Association proposed that ABANA establish a disaster relief fund for  
blacksmiths impacted by hurricane Katrina. After evaluating John’s  
proposal an ABANA Disaster Relief Fund is now in place. ABANA  
members, ABANA Affiliates and members of the public may contribute to  
this fund.

Donations should be by check, US Postal Money Order or Canadian  
Postal Money Order made out to “ABANA Relief Fund”. ABANA will  
provide a receipt for all donations of $250 or more. Please address  
your donation to:

ABANA Relief Fund

P.O. Box 816

Farmington, GA 30638


Canadian, Mexican and international donations are welcome, but please  
make sure your check is drawn on a US bank in US funds and contains a  
nine-digit routing number on the bottom of the check. US banks have  
great difficulty processing checks without this routing number, even  
though the check may say US funds. Please do not send cash.

LeeAnn Mitchell Arts, Inc. and staff volunteered their time to record  
all transactions and make deposits to the fund. One hundred percent  
of the funds will be distributed to affected ABANA Affiliates or, if  
necessary, to other public charities. Dispersal and distribution of  
the funds must be based on need and not on any affiliation to ABANA  
or an ABANA Affiliate.

People donating money may suggest where they think the need is  
greatest. The final distribution of funds, however, must be made by  
ABANA. If it is critical for you to donate to a person or ABANA  
Affiliate, that donation should be made directly to the person or  
Affiliate and not to the ABANA Disaster Relief Fund. If you know of  
people in need, please pass that information on to a local Affiliate  
and not to ABANA. The reason is a local Affiliate will distribute all  
funds to individuals. Affected affiliates are asked to tell their  
membership about this resource. Please distribute this letter to  
others you think may help.

Toby Hickman of the California Blacksmith’s Association and John  
Steel of the Pittsburg Area Artist-Blacksmiths Association will work  
with the affected affiliates to establish an equitable means to  
disperse the ABANA Disaster Relief Funds

Distribution will begin no later than October 14, 2005 and the last  
distribution will be made no later than March 15, 2006. The cost of  
this mailing was underwritten by private individuals and no ABANA  
funds were used in this project. Please take a moment and contribute  
what you can and never underestimate the power of human kindness.

Sincerely,

Don Kemper
President