Relief for Varushka: House Fire & Medical Fund

We have launched this fundraiser to support our dear friend Varushka Franceschi, who lost both her beautiful cottage and two out of four of her beloved cats in a devastating electrical fire. She has been displaced from her home, which has been destroyed and must be rebuilt, and has lost two of her precious pets who were were family to her.

Varushka also suffers from chronic Lyme disease, which has attacked her joints. She suffers from chronic pain, making it challenging to even walk and function with daily life activities. Her cat family provided great emotional support, solace, and healing for her and because of the fire, they have now been ripped away from her.

Varushka's surviving cats are Rocky and Vivienne. They are currently in intensive care recovering from smoke inhalation at Oradell Animal Hospital in New Jersey. The staff there has been amazing and have truly been angels caring for the cats. However, there is an outstanding $3500 medical debt from their first night at the local emergency animal hospital. 

For Varushka to lose her home, as well as two of her beloved cats and best friends from her healing cat family all at once is devastating for her and has been more than she can manage alone, while simultaneously struggling with such a serious disease as chronic Lyme. While she is not one to ask for help, at this time in her life more than ever Varushka needs support and caring from her community as she tries to recover, heal her body and heart, and slowly build back her life. She has quite a road ahead of her. 

ABOUT VARUSHKA: Eight years ago, Varushka moved to Sullivan County, NY when she became a vocal anti-fracking activist. She bought her cottage there specifically to fight fracking, which was destroying communities in that region. As part of the anti-fracking community, she adopted her anti-fracking kitties from Josh Fox, the director of "Gasland", who is also part of the local anti-fracking movement. Prior to becoming ill with Lyme disease, Varushka was working on her film A Crack In Everything  (http://www.crackineverything.com) but had to put her film on hold due to her her illness.

WHAT YOU WILL BE FUNDING: All funds raised will go directly to help Varushka for the foreseeable future with housing and costs of living expenses, veterinarian bills for the two surviving cats who are still in the animal hospital, and the expensive Lyme disease medical treatments that she very much needs, but health insurance won't cover.

NON-MONETARY SUPPORT: Varushka also has the overwhelming task of completely rebuilding her home. So, In addition to monetary donations,  referrals for construction labor, general contracting, lumber, etc., especially if they will reduce their fees, this would be greatly appreciated. And if anyone is compelled to gift Varushka with alternative health care donations, she would also gladly accept gifts of healing to help her with trauma, Lyme disease, including gifts of bodywork, energy work, therapies, and other healing modalities.

Please reach out to us:  [email redacted] with referrals, alternative gifts, or other ideas for support. Thank you!!

OTHER WAYS TO DONATE:
   Venmo @Aid4Varushka 
   PayPal @aid4varushka

With great gratitude for even the smallest donations of any kind, 

Kristi & Sandy 

Damage from the basement fire, which requires house to be rebuilt.

Memorial for the pets who passed.

Brando, who passed in the fire, as a kitten.

Vivienne and Brando, brother and sister. Vivienne is in Intensive Care at the Animal Hospital, and Brando perished in the fire.

Rocky and Haiyan, brother and sister. Rocky is in Intensive Care at the Animal Hospital, and Haiyan, the gray kitty, perished in the fire.

Varushka's cottage, which has been destroyed by the fire, will need to be completely rebuilt.

Cottage in the winter.