It’s been a few days since the electrical fire at Eastern Market closed the historic edifice for 18 to 24 months while it is rebuilt. The ashes are settled and the loss is nearly total. Hope, however, is not gone from the scene, and folks everywhere are working on relief for those businesses who were affected by the fire:
The Capitol Hill Community Foundation is seeking donations (tax-deductible, natch) for the market staff that were affected by the fire: The devastating April 30th fire destroyed the roof and shut down operations in the South Hall. The bricks and mortar can be fixed and the building preserved. What we must also preserve are the lives and businesses of the people who make up the Eastern Market community.
Eastern Market Rescue is tracking a happy hour benefit for next Tuesday, complete with a sweet Google Maps mashup letting you know where and when and how much will be going to the relief effort.
Of course, if you want a tangible good, there’s always this sweet Rebuild Eastern Market T-shirt. $20, but $14 goes to charity: The t-shirts are available for sale at Dawn Price Baby, Groovy D.C., Marvelous Market on Capitol Hill and Maggie and Lola boutique. Shirts will also be available this Sunday, May 7, 2007 outside the now devastated Eastern Market.
Do something to help this week. While the repair of the building may take close to two years, the relief we provide to those who lost their livelihoods in the fire is crucial to keeping the future of Eastern Market alive.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
I live and work in the District of Columbia. I write at We Love DC, a blog I helped start, I work at Technolutionary, a company I helped start, and I’m happy doing both. I enjoy watching baseball, cooking, and gardening. I grow a mean pepper, keep a clean scorebook, and wash the dishes when I’m done. Read Why I Love DC.
