<font color='black' size='2' face='arial'>Thank you Dick and Dave! I'm relieved to get this report.
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<div>Ginny<br>
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<div style="font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Richard Riley via Choir <choir@unitarianchurchofmontpelier.org><br>
To: Choir UCM <choir@unitarianchurchofmontpelier.org><br>
Sent: Mon, Oct 10, 2016 11:18 am<br>
Subject: [Choir] Fwd: Hurricane Matthew and the Pearsons<br>
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<div dir="ltr">G'morning everyone on a beautiful day...
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<div>But of course it was not beautiful weather in South Carolina this past weekend. This email from Brooke Pearson was received by Dave Grundy, and Dave wanted to pass it along to all of you.</div>
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<div>Dick</div>
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<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>
From: <b class="gmail_sendername"></b> <span dir="ltr"><<a target="_blank" href="mailto:bropear@comcast.net">bropear@comcast.net</a>></span><br>
Date: Sun, Oct 9, 2016 at 7:12 PM<br>
Subject: Hurricane Matthew and the Pearsons<br>
To: "Pearson, Brooke" <<a target="_blank" href="mailto:bropear@comcast.net">bropear@comcast.net</a>><br>
Cc: "Pearson, Betty" <<a target="_blank" href="mailto:epearson@accessus.net">epearson@accessus.net</a>><br>
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<div>Good afternoon, friends -</div>
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<div>Please forgive the mass email - it is the only way we can manage to get the word out.</div>
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<div>Betty and I (and our loaded 18 foot Penske truck) left Montpelier last Monday afternoon headed for our new home on Fripp Island off of Beaufort, SC. By Wednesday morning, when we were leaving Dublin, NC, an evacuation had been ordered by Nikki Haley, the SC governor, and all traffic on major highways and Interstates was outbound only. Fortunately, former U32 exchange student Nils Fretwurst and his family live outside Greenville, SC and invited us to stay with them. (Between foliage season and the evacuation, there is not a room to be had in the area - over four hours away from the coast!). They have a large house, and we have our own room and bathroom. We have been here since Wednesday, and they have been unbelievably kind and gracious hosts.</div>
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<div>You have heard about and seen pictures of Hurricane Matthew and its aftermath. Its eye wall hit the islands off of Beaufort, SC in the early hours Saturday morning and did extensive damage. Power was knocked (and remains) out in the entire county, and may be out for as much as two more weeks on Fripp and other outlying islands as the two major transmission towers at Lady's Island Airport were downed. Trees are down everywhere, and there were 3' to 4' of standing water on parts of Fripp. <span style="font-size:12pt">One of the bridges needed to get to Fripp was damaged and will not be open for any traffic until repaired and inspected by the State. Causeways have been washed out. </span><span style="font-size:12pt">We have no idea of the nature or extent of damage our house has sustained, but, hopefully, some aerial photos of the island and houses on it will be taken and shared with owners in the next day or two. The Fripp Island Property Owners' Association has done a superb job in communicating with State and local authorities, arranging for contractors to start tree and water removal once they can get to the island (by barge, if necessary), and keeping us informed.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:12pt">Quite a start to our happy retirement in the Palmetto State!</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:12pt">Not knowing when we may be allowed onto the island or what to expect when we get there is stressful. But we are safe and well - and the recipients of the warmest possible hospitality from Nils and his family. And when we consider the plight of the poor people in Haiti, it helps to put our sense of loss in some perspective.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:12pt">Thank you for your love and support. We'll keep you posted as the situation evolves.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:12pt">Brooke and Betty</span></div>
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