Puerto Rico
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On February 20th, I am heading back to Puerto Rico for an impact & adventure project. A year ago I spent a few weeks there recovering from an intense expedition in Peru. I met some great people there who I really connected with and I am excited to return and join them in some important work.
As you are all well aware, Puerto Rico was devastated by the hurricanes nearly six months ago. The US media is not doing justice to the lack of resources that many people on the island are still experiencing. Power, access to clean water, having clothes to wear, etc. Many of the mountain communities are still cut off by landslide debris.
One of my good friends, Nelfer Hernandez, has been spearheading relief efforts in his community of Isabela and around the island, collecting donations from companies and organizations and organizing convoys to deliver supplies up to the mountain communities. He has been doing this since Day 5 and while the intensity of the immediate post-disaster has calmed down, there is still a lot of work to be done.
I will be spending some time helping Nel with his efforts in the mountains, and I am looking forward to getting my feet on the ground there, witnessing what is really happening and offering my support however I am able.
Another good friend, Jennifer Forshee, is a yoga and meditation teacher who lives in Luquillo, in eastern PR. She has been tending to the emotional and spiritual healing of people affected by the storm, and has been building a beautiful wellness center in the main plaza of Luquillo where she can create a space for healing services and wellness retreats and workshops.
Jen and I are going to be co-creating and teaching a workshop in her new beautiful space, and I am so excited to bring our collective gifts together and offer them in this way.
Additionally, because I am always coming up with some sort of crazy adventure, I am going to attempt to circumnavigate Puerto Rico all on coastline (as much as possible) on my fat bike. Along the way, I will be doing my best to document through photos, IG stories, and Facebook Live whenever I can. I want to tell the story of Puerto Rico's post-hurricane recovery as seen through my eyes, through observing, listening, interacting, and hopefully also through the voices of people living in the communities along the coast and in the mountain areas I pass through. I will use my expertise as a physical therapist, mindfulness and wellness facilitator, and my personal experience with trauma and recovery to be a resource for people in whatever situation I may find myself in.
I am starting this GoFundMe page because some of you, my wonderful friends and those who follow my adventures, have expressed some interested in contributing with financial gifts to my impact work in Puerto Rico. I am looking to specifically assist Nelfer in his efforts to provide resources to the remote mountain communities. They are needing clothing, water purification systems, food, medicines, and money to fund the convoys driving up into the mountains. Basically, the people of the mountains in PR are "camping" with no resources.
I am starting with a $400 amount, because it costs $400 to fund two convoys of supplies to get up into the mountains. Two convoys carry enough resources to reach 2,000 people. I would love to fund at least one convoy with all of your help, and I will be contributing my own financial resources as well.
I will be in Puerto Rico for a month, from Feb 20-Mar 20. I will be collecting donations throughout the time that I am there, and I will be documenting all aspects of this projects throughout.
If you feel pulled to contribute to helping the people of Puerto Rico in this way, I thank you with my whole heart. This place and the people here mean a lot to me and I am fortunate to be able to go there in person and do what I can with whatever gifts and resources I can bring.
In love,
Liz
On a hike with Nelfer during my time in Puerto Rico last year.
A photo of some of the landslide debris cutting the mountain communities off from resources
Photos of Nelfer and the work he and his friends have been d
oing to help the mountain communities in Puerto Rico
Healing and relaxing beach time, yoga and meditation in Luquillo with Jen
Experiencing a beautiful Puerto Rican sunset near Isabela
The exquisite beauty of Puerto Rico.
As you are all well aware, Puerto Rico was devastated by the hurricanes nearly six months ago. The US media is not doing justice to the lack of resources that many people on the island are still experiencing. Power, access to clean water, having clothes to wear, etc. Many of the mountain communities are still cut off by landslide debris.
One of my good friends, Nelfer Hernandez, has been spearheading relief efforts in his community of Isabela and around the island, collecting donations from companies and organizations and organizing convoys to deliver supplies up to the mountain communities. He has been doing this since Day 5 and while the intensity of the immediate post-disaster has calmed down, there is still a lot of work to be done.
I will be spending some time helping Nel with his efforts in the mountains, and I am looking forward to getting my feet on the ground there, witnessing what is really happening and offering my support however I am able.
Another good friend, Jennifer Forshee, is a yoga and meditation teacher who lives in Luquillo, in eastern PR. She has been tending to the emotional and spiritual healing of people affected by the storm, and has been building a beautiful wellness center in the main plaza of Luquillo where she can create a space for healing services and wellness retreats and workshops.
Jen and I are going to be co-creating and teaching a workshop in her new beautiful space, and I am so excited to bring our collective gifts together and offer them in this way.
Additionally, because I am always coming up with some sort of crazy adventure, I am going to attempt to circumnavigate Puerto Rico all on coastline (as much as possible) on my fat bike. Along the way, I will be doing my best to document through photos, IG stories, and Facebook Live whenever I can. I want to tell the story of Puerto Rico's post-hurricane recovery as seen through my eyes, through observing, listening, interacting, and hopefully also through the voices of people living in the communities along the coast and in the mountain areas I pass through. I will use my expertise as a physical therapist, mindfulness and wellness facilitator, and my personal experience with trauma and recovery to be a resource for people in whatever situation I may find myself in.
I am starting this GoFundMe page because some of you, my wonderful friends and those who follow my adventures, have expressed some interested in contributing with financial gifts to my impact work in Puerto Rico. I am looking to specifically assist Nelfer in his efforts to provide resources to the remote mountain communities. They are needing clothing, water purification systems, food, medicines, and money to fund the convoys driving up into the mountains. Basically, the people of the mountains in PR are "camping" with no resources.
I am starting with a $400 amount, because it costs $400 to fund two convoys of supplies to get up into the mountains. Two convoys carry enough resources to reach 2,000 people. I would love to fund at least one convoy with all of your help, and I will be contributing my own financial resources as well.
I will be in Puerto Rico for a month, from Feb 20-Mar 20. I will be collecting donations throughout the time that I am there, and I will be documenting all aspects of this projects throughout.
If you feel pulled to contribute to helping the people of Puerto Rico in this way, I thank you with my whole heart. This place and the people here mean a lot to me and I am fortunate to be able to go there in person and do what I can with whatever gifts and resources I can bring.
In love,
Liz
On a hike with Nelfer during my time in Puerto Rico last year.
A photo of some of the landslide debris cutting the mountain communities off from resources
Photos of Nelfer and the work he and his friends have been d
oing to help the mountain communities in Puerto Rico
Healing and relaxing beach time, yoga and meditation in Luquillo with Jen
Experiencing a beautiful Puerto Rican sunset near Isabela
The exquisite beauty of Puerto Rico.
Organizer
Elizabeth Sampey
Organizer
Gunnison, CO
