One of the nicest people I’ve met through this community is Rebecca Pepin, news anchor by day and founder of Fetching Apparel on the side.
We had the chance to feature Rebecca and Fetching Apparel in the holiday gift guide several years ago, and now I’m honored to have this opportunity to share an incredible gift she’s striving to give her community.
“Fetching Apparel is my passion project,” she said, and she sure does pour passion into it. “My full-time job is anchor/reporter at WCYB and WEMT in Bristol, Virginia. It’s difficult to describe what I saw out in the field in the days following Helene. Homes completely washed away or knocked off their foundations. Roads obliterated. People lost their lives. It was DEVASTATING, and the road to recovery will be long.”
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(All the images in this post were kindly provided by Rebecca.)
“Our region is Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Unicoi County was hit hard. Johnson County too, among others. Asheville, NC, is an hour and a half from my news station in Bristol, VA,” Rebecca explained. “The Unicoi County, TN, Animal Shelter was destroyed, along with all of their supplies. Volunteers and workers were able to get all the animals out safely. Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville, North Carolina was decimated!”
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Animal rescuers had to scramble to place the pets who were in their shelters. Shelters that weren’t directly hit came together and opened their doors to help house animals. They collected donations and supplies for pet owners who lost everything in the flooding.
Rebecca wanted to help.
“My friend came up with the Appawlachia Strong idea, and we quickly went to work to create the tees and sweatshirts. We’re donating 100 percent of profits from our Appawlachia Strong tees and sweatshirts to shelters affected by Helene, but we actually give back all year long by donating 20% of profits from every purchase.”
YOU can help Rebecca provide for the animals and people devastated by Helene. Click on this link or the image above to order an Appawlachia Strong tee and sweatshirt to send 100 percent of the proceeds to local shelters. Since Rebecca lives in the area and has “boots on the ground,” she knows what’s needed and where.
I can’t even imagine this devastation and what it will take to recover.
I’m thankful for people like Rebecca who care so much for their communities.
Consider picking up a tee or sweatshirt to support this worthy cause–and it’s an excellent gift idea for the animals lover in your life!
I am so glad the animals got evacuated safely before the flood hit, it is so encouraging to read that there are so many caring people who look out for dogs, etc.
I agree! Thank goodness for animal people!
Thank god for that, thank you for sharing this !!