I have been offline dealing with tornado damage around my home. It was fast, frightening and devastating. I'm still a long way from back to normal here. My next door neighbor and four other neighbors homes on my street have been condemned. It's so sad. Within days of getting my power and cable back, while we were still digging out, Alabama was hit with massive tornadoes -- hundreds of people dead and thousands are displaced and homeless. We have a sister hooper in Birmingham, Alabama, Brandy Hughes, who is helping the displaced children in her neighborhood where, only a half mile from her home, a trailer park with 105 homes had almost 100 of them completely destroyed. Having seen the five children next to me lose everything in our tornado, I have a lot of empathy for kids who suddenly have no home, no clothes, no toys and nothing to do to shake off the anxiety and depression. Let's help those kids and their caretakers.   

Brandy hopes to give 100 hoops to kids at Refugee Centers after Hoop Con. She is seeking donations of materials and hoops. I am asking everyone to bring one extra hoop to donate to Hoop Convergence. Let's make this a Hoop Convergence Service Project. Brandy will be there and is driving a van so she can drive them all back. I suggest pre-assembled hoops if possible because that means less work for Brandy and the hoops will get to kids sooner. Hoop making materials are also needed and appreciated. Please help. Please help bring a smile to these poor kids faces. They need it so much!

This tornado is far from over. The winds have passed but the devastation goes on and on. Cadaver dogs are searching for the 600 people who are still missing, cranes and bulldozers will be removing debris for months, rebuilding will likely take years and the emotional scars on the people who live there will be raw and bleeding for a very long time. Help us bring the healing power of the circle to people who need it very very much. And ask your friends to help. If you can bring more than one hoop, please do. And note that it doesn't have to be just for children. There are plenty of adults who need distraction and physical meditation also.

I am struck by how much I am still grieving for my lost hoopspace and trees and neighbors and way of life. I cannot imagine what it's like to be in a place so much worse hit than we were. I pray for healing and hope to everyone suffering and I look forward to doing what I can to help. Please join me.

With love,
Caroleeena