An Important Message from Beaufort Proper

September flew by. One minute, we were cheering on the Mariners at football games, celebrating school being back in session, making plans for homecoming dresses and tailgating outfits. Then - Hurricane Florence. Without much of a warning, what seemed to "just" be a category two storm brought unprecedented flooding, nearly three weeks of school closures, washed out roads, tornadoes, destroyed homes, and damage the likes of which most haven't seen since Hurricane Hazel in the fifties. 

But, if a hurricane brings forth anything positive at all, this one has proven that we are surrounded by very resilient, capable people. Whether you lost a refrigerator full of groceries to the two weeks of power outages or an entire house to flood waters and wind, Carteret County and volunteers from around the tri-state area have come together to help. 

We were a part of the lucky few. A tornado touched down in our driveway and somehow managed to choose a path through the trees rather than towards our house. Damage was minimal, and anything we lost was strictly material. With less to worry about on our end, we focused our energy on getting supplies to those in need, and housing volunteers to help patch roofs and clear fallen trees. 

Suddenly, today is October 1st. It seems that we lost an entire month to the storm, and despite seeing families displaced to rental homes, debris piled high in the streets, and trees snapped in half, things are getting better. We're aching to see you all again, to make contact with everyone we love and make sure there's nothing you need that we can't handle. So, this Thursday, October 4th, we'll try to get back to normalcy. We're hosting our Girls' Night Out at the Showroom from 5-8 pm, serving food and drinks for absolutely anyone who would like to join. Here are two things you should know: 

1. The need for shelter supplies does not stop after a hurricane. It's been so incredible to watch volunteers from all over the state come together with food and supply donations, but the need is still great in our community after the storm. We're donating 10% of our proceeds to local shelters and kitchens like Martha's Mission. 
2. If you lost any personal belongings in the storm, we're offering a $5, $10, $15 sale section to make sure you have the clothes you need for work and school.
3. Local business owners lost some of our busiest days of the season, inventory, and even storefronts. A variety of local small business owners, including The Iridescent Oyster, will be joining us Thursday night to see you. Whether you're making a purchase or just coming to visit, let's all make an effort to support each other, to let our friends know that we are so grateful to be here and share in this moment. 

This summer marked five years of Beaufort Proper, and today, we are really counting our blessings. We are so lucky to be here, to be able to serve you. Don't forget to RSVP on Facebook by clicking the link above, and leave a message letting us know how you're getting back to normalcy after the storm.