By Jessi Myers

There are many things
that define a great community. There are the amenities and attractions,
the businesses and job opportunities, and most importantly the people. The
Clear Lake Farmers Market is a great example of all of these things and
one of the many things that makes Clear Lake great. The special quality of
the the Market and the people that participate was on full display on July
20th.

Around 11:00 am a strong storm moved in quickly. There
was very little warning and there was extensive damage. During this time
vendors and patrons fought 60+ mph winds trying to keep the canopies,
displays, merchandise, and people safe. Hard rain followed and people
scrambled to help their friends, neighbors and even strangers salvage what
they could.

Approximately 18 vendors lost their canopies.
Crafters had handmade goods destroyed by rain. Those materials now a loss.
Carefully designed signage and marketing materials were ruined. Checks and
cash were lost to the wind.

People picked up the debris,
untangled tents, offered comforting words to each other, and kept looking
for the next place to help until it was all done. By noon the Market was
fully torn down and the vendors and patrons were on their way home. Bumps
and bruises but no major injuries.

It would be great if that
was where the difficulty ended. The small business owners affected by the
storm still face insurance claimes. They are crunching numbers to find
room for replacement canopies, displays, and materials to make new product
in their budget. They are re-evaluating schedules and plans to make time
to put the same care into the quality of their product that they put into
what they lost.

So you may be asking yourself, what can I do to
help? How can I support these businesses and make sure they thrive? The
answer is simple. Come to the Clear Lake Farmers Market and shop. Support
the vendors that make the market great by buying their goods. Shop for
groceries. Ask them for recipe ideas and try something new. Buy gifts for
a friend or something special for yourself. Show up and show the the
market family that it is a special part of Clear Lake and that Clear Lake
is truly a great community.

We’ll
be in the parking lot at the Surf Ballroom and Museum from 9 a.m. to noon
Saturday, through Oct. 19. For information, visit
www.clearlakefarmersmarket.com and follow us on Facebook.