Beauty in the midst of Devastation
Halsey Hendrickson
Among so much devastation, there is a hidden beauty.
For weeks, we have been asked for photos of properties and the destruction that the fires that we have been responding to have caused. We have seen it first hand, but know that we are a part of a very few who are on the front lines and experiencing this.
There is so much that these pictures simply can't explain. The immense eeriness of devastation that surrounds these communities, the smell of burnt material; over a month after the Echo Mountain fire along the Oregon coast.
But what else these pictures show is community, and love. The cleanup efforts are in full swing. Neighbors, and total strangers alike are banding together to help homeowners clean up their properties to prepare for what is next. Sifting through belongings and what remains of a life that had to be left behind in a rush out the door (some families had literal minutes to pick up and leave).
We've been waiting for the right time to take photos, it's never felt right. It felt disrespectful, and invasive. However, when I arrived at the staging area yesterday in Otis, something was different. Spirits were higher, people were laughing, the sun was shining; there was a positive energy that surrounded so much devastation and it was truly beautiful. After triple checking with multiple sources, I began to take photos, because for me, my art is how I share what I experience with the rest of the world.
These fires, they took so much. They took belongings, they took physical items. But I can tell you one thing that has been made stronger than ever: community.
This is going to be a VERY long process, and we continually need support to help with purchasing supplies, meals for volunteers, and I'm sure other expenses that we haven't even begun to think about yet. We are so grateful for every single person who has stood by us as we work to support the community of Otis. Whether you donated $1,$100, or came out to help clean up, we couldn't do this without you.
