Dear Friends, First, I need to say how incredible all the small towns in the Green Mountain State have pulled together as a team in the devastating aftermath of Irene. I also need to thank all the people in the Killington area and the Killington Town Garage for there support and help with the Kokopelli Inn clean up. As I work through this rebuilding journey there are a couple of quotes from two long time proven Killington business owners that have helped me through this process. Casey Crompton said "be patient, there is always a Silver Lining" and Steve Durkee wrote me a note "It will get better." At this point these are difficult to believe but we are doing our best. Secondly, our new Vermont slogan is "I am Vermont Strong." If you would have asked us 3 weeks ago we would have said, "Of course we are, 'Vermont Strong.'" We would have included our home and business, the Kokopelli Inn, as Vermont Strong, too. All of this proved to be weaker than Mother Nature. She challenged us in ways that no one expected. We are among those who have lost everything in a blink of Mother Nature's eye. Our loss includes our business, our home, and our jobs. We are also hearing the effects of the loss on the hundreds of our extended family, the Kokopelli tribe members. Families that have planned annual holidays to be in Killington at our Inn are worrying about the loss of their reunion location; and wedding guests are scrambling to make other arrangements. From our seasonal shares who visit every weekend to all our other guests, and our signature Pot Luck Dinner Friday crew, are who make up the Kokopelli Inn family. It breaks our heart to see that the Kokopelli Inn's wounds from Irene run so deep. We pride ourselves on providing an Inn that brings families together. The Inn has the space to accommodate large families and guests. On August 28th, Tropical Storm Irene came to us with the force of a Hurricane and took so much away. In a matter of hours our home and business was destroyed. The landslide that came from the swollen river up the hill, the huge metal culvert could not handle. The house across the street collapsed into the river then blocked the culvert completely and the river turned toward us. The river that was filled with boulders, mud, trees and the remains of the house ended up piling up around the Inn. Boulders rolled through the front widows and crashed through the walls like they were made of paper. The boulders were followed by a flood of river water that came through the windows and filled our basement. Irene did leave her mark on the Kokopelli; it includes a mountain of debris 8-10 feet deep that has locked into place like cement. Our storage basement filled with water and our basement home completely destroyed. The entire infrastructure is damaged, tons of debris in our yard, and septic system. Our electric and heating system is destroyed, the well is not working, the debris has settled, and our parking lot is a rocky river bed. Over the past 8 years we have used all of our resources trying to build a successful B & B business in Killington. We have sacrificed our time, money and energy. We have developed a strong partnership with the town of Killington. We have worked closely with the Killington Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development and Tourism Commission, and the Killington Ski Resort organization. The results of our partnership with the region have helped our B & B business flourish with a strong extended family of loyal guests. As many of the other Vermonters affected by this disaster understand, we are getting NO support from the insurance companies. FEMA has given us some immediate assistance, which we are grateful for, but it's a small fraction of what we will need to bring the Kokopelli back to life. Our story is not unique. We could substitute many businesses and homes into our story. We are used to being the shelter from the storm, being able to offer rooms to families who need a place to call home. This is an incredibly challenging time for many people throughout Vermont. The water has receded, roads are beginning to open, and lives are moving on at a more normal pace. However, there are many of us whose road is long and filled with debris. Vermont pride and strength will continue to move us forward. In the meantime, please know that if you have ever considered a rock wall as part of your backyard that now is the time to build it. We have plenty of rock at the Kokopelli, please feel free to come by and take as much as you want! We need help to fix the damage from Irene. We have submitted applications for all the assistance that has been made available. The cost in damages far exceeds the available funding. Cleaning the building to make it safe for us to enter has reduced what we have received drastically and we do not have money available to pay to rebuild the infrastructure. We are looking for donations in return for future weekend stays at a drastically discounted rate. We need tradesmen willing to offer their time in trade as well. Please contact us at Castrolmartin@aol.com for more info. Hurricane Irene has been the worst, most destructive guest we have had at the Kokopelli Inn. We welcome all at the Kokopelli, however I hope if another Irene comes through Killington she chooses a different place to stay. Thank you, Chuck and Barbara.  Castrolmartin@aol.com 802 236 8913