Im sorrry we've been so quiet on here lately. life is still very much a whirlwind for us. We have just now landed at home from two months of intense traveling and working in Seattle. We taught 4 classes at Dave and Andrea Lisch's school, "Studio 4". We also helped them move out of the old blacksmith shop they had been renting for 15 years and into their new and much better facility.
While were south, we were able to source much of the tools and materials we are going to need for the rebuilding of our knife shop. I wanted to give you all an update on just how much you have accomplished for us, and what all your generous donations have provided. The total ammount of donations from the various auctions, our local community, and the greater knife community, family and friends outside the knife world, has been about $99,600. This is not including the many care packages, and the wealth of tools and knife making supplies many of you have sent. With the funds you all have raised for us, we have been able to purchase all of the cement and rebar to repair the shop foundation, a replacement diesel generator for electrical power(we live completely off grid), a replacement water tank for the domestic and shop water systems, a replacement power hammer, and hydraulic press for damascus and blade forging, and we have made the down payment on a pre-fabricated steel shop building. Because this is remote alaska, all these things have to be shipped the long way, which adds a tremendous additional cost, all of which has been covered by your generosity. We have also been able to get some of the other basic construction tools we need for building the shop and maintaining the life support systems of the homestead. And best of all... we have a new puppy on the way! She will arrive in 4 days!
We can never thank you all enough for this amazing outpouring of love and support. It has been both a humbling and uplifting experience. Haley and I are both stuborn and independent people who would never ask for help if we saw a way to make it on our own. Amazingly, we never even had to ask. You all came to the rescue in a way that has made us very aware that we are not islands unto ourselves, and that we are not meant to be.
There is still a long road to full recovery, and much hard work ahead, but you all have lifted a great burden from us and made it a real possibility for us to get back to doing what we love, as well as giving us our jobs back in a very short time.
There are too many names to list here that we will never forget for their amazing contributions, but a special thanks to Sam Lurquin, Steven Garsson, Ben Tendick, Joe Paranee, Mareko Maumasi, GW Kearney, Ed Braun, Mace Vitale, Josh Dabney, and Colin Fung for taking so much time from their busy lives to administrate the various auctions and benefit pages.
A huge thanks to all who donated work and resources to the auctions, and to those who supported them by collecting that hard work.
A giant thanks to all those who took care of us in gentle and thoughtful ways when we were hurt and grieving.
Adam & Haley
