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Florida Warehouse Vandalized |
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Compiled by GayToday
 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida-- A volunteer for the South Florida's Names Project returned last week to a local facility where sections of the historic AIDS Memorial Quilt were being stored. He discovered that vandals had broken in and either removed or destroyed what they'd found in the room.
The reported incident resulted in both good news and bad for the members and friends of the Names Project responsible for housing hundreds of sections of the Quilt containing thousands of irreplaceable hand- man panels dedicated to loved ones who've been felled by the AIDS pandemic.
"It breaks my heart to see this mess, all shelves, anchoring materials, bungee cords, cable ties, clippers, shipping material and boxes, sewing machines, printed matter, posters, roping, construction material, etc., to a tune of over $5,000, are missing and/or vandalized. How can people be so heartless and mean?" A call is going out asking citizens to report anyone unable identify themselves as a project volunteer while selling such suspect materials. In an effort to make up for the financial disaster Names Project volunteers are going to hold a yard sale in July. Ihemes said: "We are asking people to open up their hearts and help us. Please consider a donation for our sale and support us by attending it. If you're unable to do either, please consider a small financial contribution. We just can't allow this tragedy to stop us in our tracks. We can't allow those people who placed their faith and their treasures in our trust to be let down." Contributions to The Names Project South Florida will be forwarded to The Quilt-Names Project, P.O. Box 24493, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33307. |
