Etsy Crafters Open Their Hearts - and Wallets for Fire Victim in Ames, Iowa

Recently posted today on the Etsy Recyclers Guild Team official blogsite, a small but spunky global team of crafters, handmade artisans, and vintage sellers from around the word who sell "eco friendly" and "green" products on Etsy, was an announcement made today they are holding a fundraiser in an attempt to help a Fire Victim named Ronald Craig from Ames, Iowa. Ironically, this is a man none of them have ever met.

Within minutes of the story hitting the blog, the artisans appeared to have raised over $1042.00 already, towards a goal of $5000. In such tough economic times, it is only endearing that a group of people who heard about this story would pull together and open their hearts and their wallets. In a time where money is tight, and sales are slow, these happy crafters have scraped together all to help raise money for a stranger.

The victim, Ronald Craig had lost his job at 3M several years ago, and was juggling bills to make ends meet. Turns out he let his homeowner insurance lapse, and his once beautiful home burnt last August. Now, just a shell of charred remains. Ron is living in less than favorable conditions but continues to feed horses and stray cats including recent video posted have had kind people with big hearts scraping together to donate money, cat food, and time to Ron's cause. This just proves that strangers can be helpful.

The irony of this story is, Ron Craig knew nothing about this until contacted and he never asked them to. It appears he keeps to himself and never asked for much help from anyone. He made it through the winter ferociously and continued to feed his horses and cats.

The story was first talked about by someone from Iowa, Marie, knew him. She blogged about how her WearTheHeartIs Etsy shop was selling some rustic items found on her friend Ron's property in an attempt to raise money for him, and how she often took him food and cat food. Rusty old charred relics were helping Ron get a small but steady donation.

Another Etsy seller, Retro Babs, got wind of Marie's story, and asked seller Retro Chalet for help. Retro Chalet then posted the story everywhere, and called upon her team of crafters to help. Currently she is working on forwarding the story in official proposal form to Extreme Makeover Home Edition, in hopes someone will listen. Soon a whole team of crafters and artisans were pulling together to help Ron.

One donor, Vintage Hillbilly comments, "I donated $2, because that's all I have right now, but I stuffed it in an envelope today and I figure, every little bit helps, This could happen to any of us. If enough people get the word out, someone with real means can come forward and help this man. If we can get 5000 people to shove a buck in an envelope, we've done a darn good thing."

Graphic photographs of Ron's home or what is left thereof, have been posted on the once happy crafty team blog , serving as a very real reminder that this can happen to any of us. Photos of the cat Ron took in showed his shoes torn at the toes and bulging at the seams, falling apart.

The hopes of this team is that $5000 would be a start to make one of his small out buildings livable for the time being, and donations of cat food, clothing and shoes are being encouraged and accepted.

But why, would people take such interest in this random act of kindness? Retro Chalet explains, "A stranger helped me more than once in my life. When I was 3, my mother was stranded in the winter at Logan Airport, and having to lug me and all her luggage from one end of the terminal to the other to not miss her next flight. All the carts were gone, and the airport was amuck. She stood crying, 24 years old, alone, tired and scared. A stranger she didn't know helped carry me and our luggage from the end of Boston's terminal to the other end and stayed with her until the flight took off. My mother asked him why he was being so kind. He told her that random acts of kindness on strangers was the best way to pay it forward in life and that we all needed a little help sometime. My mother never forgot the kindness of this, and never forgot his face. Later in life my mother swore that man was an NFL football player. So I grew up knowing there are kind strangers out there. So whoever you were, thank you. I didn't forget it., and if you are reading, it's time to help Ron now."

Donations are being mailed and paypal. You can find the information on the Etsy Recyclers Guild Blog.