JoyFest - a tornado of love.

A special fundraiser to help family and friends impacted by the Arabi, Louisiana, tornado get back on their feet.

On March 22nd, a devastating tornado ripped through historic Arabi, Louisiana. Eighty-year-old Joy Alexander (my aunt) somehow escaped the rubble of her home through a window in the darkness only minutes after the structure was lifted from its foundation and violently dropped to the ground. The destroyed house is co-owned by Joy's daughter Jill and son Craig (my cousins). Jill lived on the other side of the shotgun double and was fortunately not yet home when the tornado struck.

In addition to the destruction of their recently renovated home, Joy's car was flipped upside down. The crumbled remains of their house and Joy's car were featured in news feeds throughout the country.

'JoyFest - a tornado of love' is a fundraiser given by family and friends to help Joy, Jill, and Craig cope with displacement and loss of property while struggling to get their lives back together. The event took place on Sunday, April 24th, at Causeway Bar & Grill (owned by life-long friends in Metairie, LA). For a minimum donation of $20, JoyFesters enjoyed music by Dead End - classic rock with a little soul and Jimmy Triay (Lost In The Sixties) while helping to support an important cause. T-shirts commemorating the event, designed by friend Pat McGuinness, Trumpet Advertising, were also available for a minimum $20 donation as well.

Of course, donations to the JoyFest GoFundMe will continue to be accepted from anyone that wishes to help. Here's the link: https://gofund.me/51449421

Thanks again to all that contributed thoughts, prayers, emotional and financial support... by participating in this "tornado of love" .?

[The above photo features Joy Alexander's car flipped upside down and their destroyed home on the right.]