www.thesummitdillon.com

Trilogy Design Works, a sister company of Trilogy Partners, is thrilled to announce that The Summit Residences Dillon is now accepting reservations. This 18 unit development’s architecture is from Eric Smith Associates, and was developed and designed by Trilogy Design Works using their patent-pending Project Management Modeling™ process. Virtual reality was utilized to perfectly plan every square foot of the Residences for optimum resident experience, and to allow potential residents to go inside of their selected condo to see and feel the space as if it were already built.

The listings are being offered by Doyle Richmond of LIV Sothebys of Breckenridge. Exclusive virtual reality tours through the condos allow you to experience the spaces, see the interior design options, feel the ceiling heights and spaces, as well as check out the views before the new construction is complete. These are available at the Sotheby’s Dillon office by calling Doyle or Deborah.

Underground heated parking with 2 spots for each unit, fire pits, hot tubs and spectacular views are just a few of the exciting amenities being offered in this new construction condominium development. Providing lock-off options that allow owners to enjoy and rent at the same time ensures that no one will be missing a powder day on the mountain! A huge activity lock-off storage area with 153 square feet of space comes with each unit and is customized to fit your mountain lifestyle whether it be mountain biking, snowboarding, SUP, skiing or hiking with your dog. There is even a dog and bike wash in the heated garage to help keep your condo clean.

153 square feet of customizable storage space.

Juice up your electric car at the charging station in the garage before heading out to one of the 7 ski areas within 35 minutes of Dillon, Colorado. Or hop on your bike to head to the newly renovated Dillon Amphitheatre for a national musical act or family movie night by the water.

Contact Doyle Richmond or Deborah Clawson to experience these condos through Virtual Reality today!

www.thesummitdillon.com

Trilogy Partners, a Frisco-based construction and design firm, has been selected from the more than 35 million SketchUp users to present its designs and build process at the international SketchUp 3D Basecamp convention in Palm Springs, California.

According to the company, Trilogy Partners will offer three separate presentations at the event, each featuring the company’s virtual design and build process. Owned by Trimble, SketchUp is a specialty software platform utilized by professionals and hobbyists to visualize and design the world in 3D, and Trilogy Partners has been using the software.

“I fell in love with SketchUp and 3D architectural design in 2012,” said Michael Rath, Trilogy Partners CEO and owner. “In just six amazing years we have leveraged their software product with our design and build experience into a package that will influence how our homes, and quite possibly all homes, are designed and built for the foreseeable future. We empower our clients to design their homes or commercial spaces in a 3D and Virtual Reality platform, so they can truly experience their space before construction.”

Rath will present the company’s virtual-design workflow with Hewlett Packard’s HP Z workstation team while Erin Pfarr, the company’s business development director, will present on how to facilitate SketchUp to optimize business. Rath and the design team will also present on how they have advanced the program beyond what even SketchUp’s engineers knew what was possible during “Extreme SketchUp.”

For more about the company, go to TrilogyBuilds.com to learn or find Trilogy Partners on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Article posted on Summit Daily

Going green doesn’t have to cost more. Experts at the NAHB Research Center have identified design and construction tactics that builders have used to minimize the cost premium for green.

Constructing a green home does come with some added costs, but a lot of builders find that green practices can actually reduce their construction costs and enhance the quality of the homes they build. Many green practices also result in operational and maintenance savings for homeowners.

Using a combination of input from builders participating in the National Green Building Certification Program and results from recent research we did for HUD on the costs and benefits of green affordable housing, the NAHB Research Center has identified seven beneficial practices to consider when building green for the affordable market.

1. Work closely with your suppliers

If you’re new to green building in general or to building green homes with a lower price point, you may want to start your journey by talking with your product suppliers.

Richmond, Va.-based First Richmond Associates has been building quality workforce housing for nearly two decades. Recently, the builder decided that going green with its homes would provide even greater value to customers and set its product apart from the competition. Susan Hadder, president of First Richmond, admits the company didn’t know much about green building, so she let her suppliers know about the new direction they were taking and asked for their help.

“A lot of them were as new to green as we were,” says Hadder, “but they were excited to help us find the best product options available from various manufacturers. It was kind of fun for everyone to discover something new.”

Hadder says she got very quick responses from all her product reps, along with some incentives, which helped her identify what the company needed to get its new green homes certified to the National Green Building Standard (ICC 700). She was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the green product options that would garner points for the home in the certification process were actually an even swap for her in terms of price.

Specifically with flooring options, she found that recycled-content carpet and padding, engineered hardwood flooring, and recycled tile for the bathrooms were all competitively priced with the products she traditionally used — some a few pennies more per unit, some a few pennies less. First Richmond now has two of their Earth-Friendly workforce homes (sales prices range from the $170,000’s to low $200,000’s) Green Certified to ICC 700 by the NAHB Research Center, and the company has plans for more.

2. Look for two-for-one green product benefits

To maximize green benefits while keeping construction costs low, use products or practices with multiple green features. For example, when specifying cabinets or cabinet materials, look for those that have low- or no-formaldehyde content and are made of recycled material. That way, you may be able to gain green certification points for both indoor environmental quality and resource efficiency. While most green rating systems won’t allow for “double dipping” on points (i.e., claiming points in more than one area for the same green attribute in the same product or practice), most will allow for multiple green attributes in the same product to be counted across multiple point categories.

3. Don’t forget about water efficiency

In our work with HUD, we found that water efficiency improvements for both new and renovated affordable projects are commonly overlooked even though they offer a quantifiable benefit to homeowners for little to no additional construction cost. Be sure not to discount the cost benefits for affordable clients of low-flow faucets, toilets, and showerheads, as well as rated water-saving appliances.

As for finding the products at an affordable price, there is a much wider array of low-flow toilets, faucets, and showerheads on the market today than even five years ago, and the most basic models are cost neutral with comparable non-low-flow fixtures. Most major plumbing product manufacturers now offer these products, eliminating the need for costly special orders, in most cases. With bathroom sink faucets, even if your manufacturer of choice doesn’t make a low-flow version, you can buy replacement aerators that satisfy the requirements of most national green rating systems for around $2 a piece.

New construction on the Goose Pasture Tarn in Blue River, Colorado outside of Breckenridge.

 

4. Consider alternative framing techniques

Some changes in your framing materials or techniques might provide both cost/time savings and a means to an end in securing points toward green certification. For instance, consider using panels or trusses in lieu of site-built systems. These techniques are labor and resource efficient, resulting in less on-site waste and possibly lower labor and materials cost overall. Fabricated systems often create greater thermal efficiency over stick frames. Many green rating systems, including the National Green Building Standard, also award points for use of panels and trusses.

If you want to continue framing totally on site, there are several optimum value engineering (OVE) techniques that can save on material or labor costs, and can generate green points at the same time. Look into options like:

• Ladder blocking — uses less wood; provides more room for insulation; gets green points
• Two-stud corners — at least one less stud at each corner; allows for more fully insulated corner; gets green points
• Switch from 2x4s at 16 inches on center to 2x6s at 24 inches on center — may result in small increase in incremental cost initially, but gets a lot of green bang for your buck.

5. Explore low-cost strategies with design

Green, at any price point, is not accomplished through product selection alone. Many of the other “ingredients” for a green home involve strategies that can cost very little or nothing at all. For example, depending on the orientation and size of your lot, flipping a house plan is a very low-cost, low-effort activity that can result in green benefits like positioning the majority of windows on the south side of a home for passive solar and natural lighting gains.

6. Pay attention to placement and sizing of hvac and plumbing systems

Optimize your duct runs and centrally locate your mechanical room for material cost savings and increased energy efficiency. Even for smaller homes, be sure not to have more ducts or longer duct runs than you need in any part of the house. Using a central return also reduces material costs and is a simple system that can provide adequate circulation and cost savings to both you and your buyers.

Placing all your HVAC equipment, including ducts, in conditioned space within the home is also beneficial. In addition to creating significant energy savings for homeowners, this practice may also allow you to spec smaller, less-expensive HVAC equipment and limit or eliminate the need for additional insulation for the duct system. Many homes today, even those that may be otherwise energy and resource efficient, have oversized HVAC equipment. As the building envelope of your homes becomes tighter and more energy efficient, the HVAC burden is significantly reduced. A smaller system obviously costs less and could offset other green upgrades you’re making in your homes.

For your plumbing system, make sure you have chosen the most efficient design for your purposes. For multi-story homes, consider a stacked system, which will probably require shorter plumbing runs, less piping, and possibly less labor time from your plumbing contractor. Also consider centrally locating your water heater, as a central location makes the average of every run shorter, thereby reducing material costs.

7. Rely on green design professionals

Green homes often require a higher degree of precision in their design and construction to ensure that the finished product works the way it was designed to work, as a whole house relying on interdependent systems for its optimum efficiency and homeowner comfort. Having experts well versed in green products, practices, and protocols can save you thousands of dollars in trial-and-error and callbacks in the long run.

That being said, there are different ways to go about creating your design team. One way is to seek out experts in areas such as mechanical systems, plumbing design, and landscape architecture, with specific expertise in green building practices. Another tactic is to rally those with whom you already work to the pursuit of greener, more efficient homes. Similar to the enthusiasm and excitement Susan Hadder generated with her suppliers when First Richmond began seeking green solutions, you may generate the same kind of interest with your existing construction partners to learn all they can and contribute. Either way, it’s important to get everyone in your construction chain on the same page with what you’re trying to accomplish. Contractors and suppliers that are not informed can create inadvertent barriers to your ultimate success.

More information and technical detail about these techniques can be found on the Research Center’s technical website,www.ToolBase.org.

Created in 1964, the NAHB Research Center (www.nahbrc.com) is a full-service product commercialization company that strives to make housing more durable, affordable, and efficient. The Research Center provides public and private clients with an unrivaled depth of understanding of the housing industry and access to its business leaders.

Source : Professional Builder

Extreme remodel on the Goose Pasture Tarn in Blue River, Colorado

Did you know that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency claims about 40 to 50 percent of wood from demolished buildings can be reused in new construction? While in the past there were limited ways to recycle wood in the United States, it’s becoming a more common practice because there are so many ways recycled wood can be used by builders.

One of our favorite reclaimed timber projects was Trey Parker’s Steamboat Springs home. In his home, we used timbers that had been salvaged from a railroad bridge that had at one time covered a part of the Great Salt Lake, much to the delight of local wildlife who thought the salted timbers were dessert. Using reclaimed timber was a great choice to create the look that was desired for this home, as well as a way to continue in our efforts of creating an environmentally friendly home.

Reclaimed timber beams are also a great choice because aged wood is seasoned, which means it is more stable than newly cut wood. Along with using reclaimed timber beams, wood that has is historic, recycled, or reclaimed can also be used for flooring and walls in new construction. Recycled wood can also be useful as garden or yard art, or to create new furniture. Using reclaimed and recycled wood doesn’t have to stop at the framing of a home.

Here at Trilogy Partners, we strive to be as environmentally responsible as possible in our building practices. Using reclaimed timber and recycled wood is just one way we achieve that goal.

Reclaimed Timber Frame house

Source: Better Homes and Gardens bhg.com

A mantle can be the centerpiece of your holiday decorations and a chance to showcase traditional holiday decorations, or customize it to show off your own personal style.

Use these tips to create a mantel masterpiece for the holidays:

• Sometimes, a subtle touch is better than something that stands out. Consider using a combination of muted colors and minimalist elements to make the seasonal decorations blend in with their normal counterparts. This saves you the trouble of having to remove your normal decorations, making the transformation both easier and less time-consuming.
• Rustic elements are a time-tested method with which to decorate your mantel for the holidays. However, if you want a touch of sophistication, consider using glass and a little metallic trim.
• Boldly colored candles can make a powerful statement if you are interested in something more artistic. For safety purposes you may want to use electronic candles.
• Think out of the box and repurpose items around the house (such as the martini glasses below or simple ornaments in similar shades of color) to be the centerpieces of your mantle.
• Festive boughs and wreathes are always popular.

Happy holidays to you and yours from Trilogy Partners!

Five Things a Home Audio System Does to Enhance the Value of Your Residence

By: Jessica Kane

When a person begins planning a home redecorating project, a great deal of the focus is on how the residence will look when the endeavor is over. The reality is that people have more than the sense of sight. Perfecting a residence via a redecorating project needs to take the other senses into consideration as well. This includes the sense of sound

Sound, including music, can grealy enhance the livability of a residence. In fact, there are five ways in which you can improve the overall livability of your home by incorporating sound and music more thoroughly in your home. Embarking on a home remodel or redecorating project provides the perfect opportunity to enhance the sound and music availabilities in your residence.

Fully Realize the Potential of Your Living Space

As noted a moment ago, the typical redecorating or remodeling project understandably focuses intensely on what a residence will look like after a job is done. In that regard, consideration is made to the more ubiquitous, and yet vague, consideration of what your home will “feel like” when your project is over. Part of how your home will feels depends not only on sight, but sound as well.
Installing an up-to-date, dynamic sound system, capable of bringing music and interesting soundscapes, throughout your residence is the step to take when it comes to the audio element of a residential improvement project. This can be accomplished by selecting a system that fits your budget and meets the specific needs, goals, and objectives you have for your home.

It’s Not Just About Music

If you are like most people, you may immediately think that a sound system in your residence is just about music. Of course, that is a primary focus of a residential audio system for most people. However, a residence-wide audio system included in your home improvement efforts provides much more.

For example, a quality and yet affordable home audio system can allow you to implement different soundscapes for your residence. You can utilize relaxing soundscapes in different locations in your home, depending on your mood. Moreover, your family can take advantage of customized soundscapes in their rooms, audio presentations that have been demonstrated to enhance sleep.

Enhance Your Other Entertainment Systems

Like most people, your residence is already outfitted with different types of entertainment systems. These likely include televisions and perhaps gaming equipment. The reality is that the addition of a home sound system as part of your residential upgrade endeavors can also work to enhance the functionality of other electronics in your residence. Television viewing and gaming can be taken to a whole new level when existing equipment is tied in with an audio upgrade available via a home sound system.

Sound Technology Provides the Ultimate in Control

Long, long gone are the days when you needed to fiddle with a turntable, tape deck, or CD rack. Rather, there is an abundance of technology that can render coordinating your residential music and soundscapes a breeze. Indeed, there are easy to use apps that aid you turning on or off music or soundscapes from offsite, from wherever you happen to be at the moment.

As part of your remodeling or redecorating efforts, you can add the latest in audio technology. Moreover, you can install this technology at your home at a highly reasonable cost. In other words, you will not break the proverbial bank by really brining your home into the 21st century when it comes to its sound system.

One point needs to be made in digression. You may be like many individuals and wonder why in the world would you care about regulating sound, adjusting music our soundscapes, when you are not at home. If you are a dog or cat owner, you likely do understand how sound in the residence during your absence can help keep your pets at peace. A remotely controlled sound system allows you the ability to accomplish this task with ease.

A more important consideration involves home security. You can significantly enhance the overall effectiveness of your home security endeavors when you have the ability to activate and adjust music and soundscapes from afar. With this type of access, you can really make your home feel as if it is fully occupied, even when you are traveling.

Up the Value of Your Residence

When a person like you embarks on a home improvement project, one of the objectives typically is to increase the value of a residence. In the final tabulation, adding a quality sound system to your residence is a solid way to increase the overall value of your residence.

Jessica Kane is a writer for SoundStage Direct, the number one online source for the best vinyl records and turntables.

by Leo Wolfson| brought to you by Breckenridge Building Center

Fall is a time of transition and preparation in the High Country. As the leaves change color so turn the thoughts of Summit County residents to the winter (for better or worse) and six months of snowfall to come. This arctic onslaught is tough on almost any home and a few precautions need to be taken to ensure that yours is ready for winter’s grip.

Pipes: Preventing your pipes from freezing is an extremely important, cost-saving measure that must be taken before winter hits. Surrounding them with insulation or heat tape does the trick, as will heating the crawl space where the pipes are located. Jason Kompf of Antique Design Carpentry & Remodeling sees his fair share of poor winter prep in the High Country. “Wouldn’t be uncommon to have 20-something houses and (they are) flooded from         frozen pipes every winter,” he chuckled. Kompf recommends taking care of pipes no later than Thanksgiving.

Heating Systems & Furnaces: The last thing you’d ever want is to discover is that your furnace has given out when that first cold snap rolls around. Test your furnace now to make sure that it’s running effectively, which also helps with the frozen pipe issue. Often second-home owners will find out that their heating system has given out upon arrival, making for an inauspicious start to their vacation.

Close-up surfaces: Make sure all exposed wood is sealed up or caulked, which includes keeping paint up to date. “People neglect to paint up here. Every house should be painted on a three- to five-year cycle due to the UV rays and the sun and the weather,” explained Kompf. The extreme High Country elements do a number on the exterior of a house and the longer you wait to get it repainted the greater chance there’ll be wood damage. “I see that a lot — people calling me, they want (me to) repair siding or fix something. They haven’t painted in 15 years and it’s sunned,” said Kompf with a chuckle.

Keeping windows properly sealed is also important. This eliminates drafts and helps save on energy bills.

Gutters and other drainage fixtures: Make sure all leaves and other debris are cleaned out of your gutters. If you wait till spring it will likely be a muddy, moldy mess and could be harmful due to the weight that’s built up.

Decks: Kompf advises using a clear deck sealer on wood decks in the fall. The sealer protects from water damage and will help keep the color longer. Clean a deck frequently before applying the sealer and voilá! You’ll have a protected wood deck that even Old Man Winter can’t touch. If thinking of building a deck for your home this fall, consider a composite material, as it’s cheaper and less sensitive to nature’s elements.

The roof: As winter begins to ramp up, keep an eye out for the amount of snow that collects on your roof. Colorado powder may be light and dry but that hardly matters when 2 feet or more collects, often causing ice dams and structural damage. Kompf recommends shoveling a roof at least once a winter, but if Old Man Winter strikes with an early fury, a trip up to the top deck might be necessary in December.

“No matter how well your roof was done, water can get in there,” said Kompf. Before winter arrives look for loose or broken shingles. These small trouble spots can become large problems during the winter. On the interior, look for stains or damp spots in the crawlspace or top ceiling of your house which can lead to mold and roof damage if not taken care of.

Beware of the south: The south side of a structure may receive the most sun during the winter but this doesn’t mean it’s less exposed to the elements. The location actually creates a vicious melt/freeze cycle that chips away at paint and deteriorates the wood. Extra attention should be paid to this side regarding all previous preparations listed.

Article from Summit Daily courtesy of Breckenridge Building Center | 13445 Hwy. 9, Breckenridge (970) 453-2372 |http://www.breckenridgebuildingcenter.com

Trilogy Partners is proud to be producing a forum as part of the Breckenridge Film Festival on Saturday, September 23!

“Merging of Entertainment and Design” brings together top industry leaders from tech, design and film to discuss how technology advances from 3D Modeling to Virtual technologies are reshaping their careers and our lives. Screen the Colorado-based short film “Who I Am” about immigrant and first generation students in Ft. Morgan, CO. Try out the brand new, not even on the market yet (!!) HP Z VR Backpacks and tour a home through Augmented Reality.

If you are interested in technology, home design and construction, filmmaking, 3D modeling and visualization or the impact that we can have on our community development planning, then this is the place to be on Saturday, September 23.

Location: South Branch Library in the Hopeful and Discovery Rooms at 103 S Harris Street in Breckenridge, CO

Date: Saturday, September 23 from 4-6pm

Email virtual@trilogybuilds.com to reserve your VIP spot as seating is limited. RSVP and share the event on Facebook.

Panelists: 

Amy Hoeven is from a small rural town on the eastern plains and is a fourth generation native of Colorado. After she graduated from CSU in 1995 with a degree in Liberal Arts, she used her Communications and Technical Journalism training to pursue a career in communications and community outreach in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. In 2010, Amy was named Young Professional of the Year by the Fort Collins area Chamber of Commerce. Amy understands the importance of storytelling and believes everyone’s story adds value to their communities. In 2017, she was the Executive Producer of Who I Am, a Virtual Reality documentary film showcasing the work of first-generation CSU students mentoring immigrant and refugee high school students in Fort Morgan. Her ability to observe the environment around her, interact with people and recognize human connections allows her to be a compassionate and active member of society.

Jim Zafarana was with HP as Vice President and General Manager, Global Head of Workstations, Thin Clients, and Commercial Immersive, part of HP’s Personal Systems. In this role, he was responsible for business, innovation, and product strategy and execution, including Product Development, Product Management, and go-to-market strategy across the Workstations & Thin Clients worldwide. Prior to this role, Zafarana was Vice President and General Manager for the Workstation Global Business Unit, responsible for HP’s Workstation business in all market segments worldwide. Jim also has served as Vice President, Worldwide Marketing for HP’s Workstation business.

Kaden Strand is the CEO and founder of Blue Penguin VR, a custom solutions company blending software engineering, creative design, and practical problem solving to impact enterprise adoption and novel research for modern virtual and augmented reality technologies. Previously, Kaden led the cross-disciplinary Virtual Reality Initiative at Colorado State University to utilize immersive technology across research, curriculum, and outreach efforts under the CSU Vice President for Research.

Kyle Rasmussen had a dream to use his skills in journalism and media production to tell stories that could make an impact by allowing people to step into the shoes of others around the world. Kyle decided if BlueShoe Media was going to be telling stories around the world, that is exactly how it should start. He assembled a team of passionate students at Colorado State University to join him on a mission to film a full-feature documentary in India. This documentary about widows, would open the doors to a tremendous journey and make way for the dream to allow creatives with a passion to tell stories to have a place to create freely. Kyle has a heart for telling great stories and a passion for connecting with people through empathy. His dedication, commitment, and vision to tell meaningful stories is unparalleled.

Lindsey Stapay’s entrepreneurial spirit has guided many small and mid-size companies and not-for-profit organizations to not only realize their goals, but surpass expectations on many levels. Stapay has a wide-reaching vision for developing and delivering organizational messages and projects that, combined with her boundless energy and innovative ideas, makes her the perfect moderator for our discussion. Stapay graduated from Colorado State University’s 1st Construction Management and Built Environment Green Home Certificate Program. Since then she has been apart of some of the largest real estate development deals in Downtown Denver through her real estate brokerage firm of 10 years.

Michael Brightman has gained major industry recognition with his  book, “The SketchUp Workflow for Architecture” — a guide that outlines his proprietary techniques and processes for using SketchUp Pro in every phase of the professional design process. Mike also created the highly popular ConDoc Tools for SketchUp Pro extension, which expedites the creation of construction documents in SketchUp Pro. At Brightman Designs, Mike’s goal is to provide his customers with core support services based on real-world design expertise, advanced visualization resources, and collaborative training.

Michael Rath is the CEO of Trilogy Partners and has been designing and building homes in the high country and beyond for over 20 years. His Project Management Modeling™ process is becoming nationally recognized as revolutionizing the design and build experience for clients by giving them back creativity, power and cost control through visualization and precise project management.

We didn’t think that we would be here again so soon after Harvey….talking about another catastrophic hurricane that is affecting millions in the United States and the Caribbean. The islands of Barbuda, the United States Virgin Islands, Cuba and the British Virgin Islands were hit with a frightening Category 5 during Irma and the desire to help is just as strong as how we felt a few weeks after Harvey.

There are strong Trilogy ties to the Caribbean, particularly the Virgin Islands and Haiti. In addition to the great non-profits that we listed on our blog a couple weeks back, we wanted to share words, photos and rescue group resources that come directly from an islander. We hope you find inspiration and empathy with these words from Virgin Islander Andrea Durham Niermeier.

Photos from Andrea Durham Niermeier

You can find the original post from Andrea here: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.niermeier/posts/10159181797925580

“I need your help. Read for a moment and IMAGINE. Imagine knowing that a huge storm is coming but not being able to the get the supplies you need: you can’t just get in your car and keep driving until you find it. IMAGINE wanting to get off the island before the storm but you can’t. There are only so many seats on a plane, and you don’t have the $3000 a ticket to get one of them. IMAGINE being huddled with your family in complete darkness in a small corner of your house for hours with water pooling around you and the roof disappearing above you. Hear the deafening sound of the wind: ears popping and the banging and clanging of debris—your belongings—being tossed around. Imagine the first thought upon seeing the devastation around you being, “Thank God. We made it. We are alive” because for many moments you just weren’t sure.

Now IMAGINE a world with no power: no refrigerator, no air conditioning, no running water. Imagine this for MONTHS. IMAGINE no escape from mosquitoes. IMAGINE being 37 weeks pregnant or having a son with a serious medical condition and hearing that the hospital has been destroyed. IMAGINE that after 72 hours you still can’t get past your street because it is too blocked by debris: that the only aid has been if you can somehow make it many miles to pick up a few meals and some bottled water. IMAGINE thinking that no one is coming for you. IMAGINE the desperation this breeds and the wrong turns this can take. IMAGINE being largely ignored by media because you are yesterday’s news. This is happening NOW in the U.S. in the Virgin Islands. These are the stories of my friends.

I vouch for each of these initiatives as I personally know the persons involved or fully trust the organization. These are islanders who personally know the needs of islanders helping islanders.
1. The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) has been around for 25 years and has started The FUND FOR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS to provide monies for critical needs in the Virgin Islands. Note that 100% of the proceeds go directly to the cause with no fees being charged. More info here: Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
2. This GoFund Me was created by two bad-ass business women of the Virgin Islands. I know Sarah personally, and she is one of the most charitable women I know. She has always done so much for the island. Their efforts have already brought at least one load of supplies to the island.  Go Fund Me Irma Relief Fund
3. This Adopt-a-Family was created by another group of awesome women. Pam is organized and gets shit done. You can lift up an island family in their time of need by putting items directly in the hands of that family once the post office is up and running. More info here: Adopt-a-Family
4. Do you like basketball? VI native Tim Duncan wants you to help him raise funds for the VI here: Tim Duncan VI Relief Letter and fund that he started with a $250,000 and will match up to $1 million
5. Do you like country music? Part-time VI resident Kenny Chesney asks for your help here: Kenny Chesney’s fundraiser for USVI

If you have $5 to spare, please help by donating to an organization that speaks to your heart. If you don’t have $5, please share this post.

In addition to contributing to some of these efforts, I’m personally working on something that will address the future of the Virgin Islands: the children. My hope is to put together trauma bags for children and families so that they can process what they’re experiencing in the days, weeks, and months ahead in the healthiest way possible. These will include items popular in play therapy as well as information for families. If you think you may have some resource or connections to help, please message me. More details soon…..

Finally, leave a message on this post when you donate. Let’s show the VI #wegotyou #VIstrong.”