Kathryn and I are tremendously lucky to have managed the storm with so little personal impact. Everyone we know seems to be safe and dry, and while our Manhattanite friends continue to struggle without power or hot water, we’re counting our blessings that all our utilities are still with us. Our water tastes sharply of chlorine – Bloomberg announced that our drinking water is being heavily treated, but other than that and our internet service slowed to a crawl, our life is unchanged. The one exception is that, given the impossibility (or at least major inconvenience) of inter-borough travel, Kathryn is stuck at home. It’s been such a pleasure to get such a long, uninterrupted stretch of time with her – she’s been working her tail off and it’s awfully nice to have a few relaxing days together. That said, we can’t continue simply observing the continued hardship, so tonight we’re planning on going to Red Hook – a nearby neighborhood that saw significant flooding and damage – to help cook dinner at a shelter. It’s not much, but with travel so limited and real help best left to the experts, it’s the least we can do. I encourage you all to give to the Red Cross to help with hurricane recovery.
I feel a little strange focusing on something other than Sandy’s aftermath, but life goes on. There’s only one week remaining in the Caribou Coffee campaign to support CancerCare, and I want to reiterate again the importance of this effort. The reports of NYU Langone Medical Center’s evacuation were deeply distressing, and I’ve never been more glad to be healthy and not in the hospital. The burden of cancer patients was illuminated in stark detail in a news item Kathryn noticed that said Access-a-Ride was helping those undergoing chemotherapy or radiation manage the trip to treatment. With the subway system still in shambles, traffic around the city is snarled. Regular cancer treatment is exhausting enough; I can’t imagine how hard it must be with the added endeavor of storm-related inconvenience.
CancerCare‘s office is on the 22nd floor – if the power is out (as I believe it is), it’s unlikely that they’re back at work. But given their dedication to their clients, it wouldn’t surprise me if folks are making the twenty-story climb. Caribou Coffee’s generosity isn’t simply corporate image building – they truly believe in doing good, and they’re smart to partner with an organization that supports so many people in need. The like-to-donate campaign ends next week – please be sure you’ve liked Caribou Coffee on Facebook and spread the word as best you can.
I’m so glad to be able to help with this effort, and though I would have done so regardless, Caribou was nice enough to send me a package filled with Amy’s Blend merchandise. Though the wonderfully delicious pound of coffee is long gone (and we wouldn’t say no to more!), they also included a set of hot and cold tumblers. If you’re in the market for something new and flashy for drinking (with hot pink styling!), I encourage you to make your way to a local Caribou Coffee and get some Amy’s Blend products! They’re not nationwide (yet) but you can find the nearest location to you on their website. Remember, 10% of all purchases are donated to CancerCare!
Since Kathryn is home from work, we finally had some daylight to get pictures of my Amy’s Blend merch. Check out the CancerCare cap and my new favorite t-shirt, custom designed by my old friend and dedicated supporter Anne Heller:
Tags: amy's blend, cancer is the ultimate extreme sport, caribou coffee, hurricane sandy, red cross
lookin’ good, jonah!