Hi Seana,

Thank you for sending the Cottage Dreams update, very impressive newsletter.

My name is Cathy, over this summer I donated my cottage to cottage dreams for 3 weeks in June.

I am Canadian, but spend most of my time in the Dominican Republic.  I would like to thank to Kristy and Heather who arranged the donation of my cottage to 3 wonderful families.   They kept me so well informed, and were open to any new suggestions I had due to my distance.

My daughter and I really only use our cottage for July and August each year.  I was therefore able to donate the cottage for a few weeks before we arrived in July.  I went through a cancer battle with my daughter's father, and like many others our relationship didn't make it through the battle.  Who knows if we would have had a week to 're-group' after his treatment our relationship may have made it.  That is why I was so keen on donating my cottage in hopes that it may help someone else's relationship, not expecting anything else.

When I arrived at the cottage after my visitors were there, there were 3 very nice thank you letters waiting for me.  The one that was very special was from survivor Susan.  She originally was going to spend her time at my cottage with her daughter, son in law, and small granddaughter.  She explained in her card that her granddaughter had taken ill with a cold, and could not be too close to her, so she spent her time at the cottage alone.  She said in the card it was almost a blessing, as she had taken up painting again, something she had put aside since her diagnosis.  She left me a beautiful little painting of our beach that she had painted one night while she sat on the beach during sunset.  Little did she know that the direction she chose to paint was the adjacent beach to ours, Cawaja beach where I spent all my summers with my family.  The actual painting includes what we called 'the point' as kids, a part of the beach a mile or so down where we walked everyday with my dad.  Those walks are some of the best memories I have of my father.  When I looked at the painting I filled up with memories.  I told Susan the story by email.

I spent the rest of the summer trying to find a larger photo/painting for my living room wall, then boldly got up enough nerve to ask Susan by email if she would paint me something for that wall.  A few days went by with no answer.  She finally emailed me back, saying she was delayed in checking her emails as she had been painting, and in fact had been busy actually painting my beach.  She sent me a photo of the painting by email.  Ended up she was painting the beach I am presently sitting on summer after summer creating those same great memories I had as a child with my own daughter.  Basically Susan had covered my entire life with her paintings of two different directions.  The painting of Cawaja my childhood memories, and the painting of Ardmore Beach the memories I am presently making with my daughter.  So I write this email to explain that one donates not expecting anything in return, but you never know what can happen.  A very surreal connection happened between Susan and I that week.  She ended up with time to relax and pick up an old hobby, and I ended up with some beautiful memories!

I think your idea to start Cottage Dreams was incredible.  There is such a demand for the service you provide.  I wish you the best in your quest for new donors to enable you to continue this wonderful programme.

Keep up your great work.

Kind Regards,

Cathy