Thank You for Filling Our Hearts in Our Time of Need

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Hardy and his shop. [Photo from Marc Drenovakovic]

To the Community (particularly the Salmon Creek community),Our family would like so much to thank everyone for their help with the memorial for Hardy Church this last week. We know we can’t possibly name everyone. To be honest, so many of you were generous with your time and energy and we were so numb and struggling to get the details correct that we may never know all of the good deeds that helped make Hardy’s Celebration so heartwarming. But some people we particularly want to give thanks to are:

• First, Tryphena and Rhiannon (and Shawnee, of course), I almost hate to include you here because even though you aren’t blood, you are family. You were there with us through the first shock-filled day to the cleanup at the end of Hardy’s memorial. The beautiful photograph albums and easels filled with images of Hardy and his world were and are irreplaceable. (Willow Seely, that you found the time to pitch in with your little ones is amazing!) And, Shawnee, the beer was much appreciated!
• Flowers: The Archibold family, with your generous and beautiful donation of the stunning flower arrangements made with the help of Rae Shiraishi and Molly Sinoway with support from many others are still reminding the many of us who are privileged to take them home of Hardy’s spirit and aesthetics.
• Beer: Christopher Schille and Sali for that wonderful beer and that perfect setup.
• Ice and Water: Adam Rollins for the ice and water and all the other help.
• That incredible dessert table:  Armida and Jonathan Scopazzi for the delicious desserts and all the help–we couldn’t have done this without you. Sherry Collins, those cookies were amazing.
  

  Cookies by Sherry Collins

• Infrastructure: Kevin Murphy, thank you for the loan of the  tables and easyups. Jill Girard, thank you for the tables. As always thanks to Dan Gribi for the moral support and the BBQ equipment. Jesse Hills provided a mound of hay bales for seating, a community with tired feet thanks you!
• Safety: The Salmon Creek Fire Department arranging for a water tender and firefighters to be present was so kind.
• Setup: To all the people who helped set up the tent–John Keenan, Moss Nipkau, Tyce Fraser, Jerry Hoogeveen (and the grilling), Harry Vaughn, Robin Fleckless, Rusty Rogers,  and many others–you were amazing. Some of you who helped, we don’t even know your name!
• Food: Much appreciation to Ferral who provided and cooked that amazing fish! To Pete who provided the pig!
• Cleanup: To Kato Fraser for cheerful cleanup and setup and general help throughout.

To all the people who brought potluck and chairs, And to all of you who traveled up the twisting and potholed dirt road to join us, Thank you.

As one of our friends who doesn’t live here said in amazement, “You don’t find communities like this almost anywhere else. These people are so warm.”

Hardy donated time and energy to his community throughout his over 50 years in Humboldt County and this week, his community poured it back into our hearts. We love you and appreciate you all so much.

Kym Kemp, Kevin, Clay, Quinn and his wife, Kirsten, and Malachi Church.