by Alex Brooks
The Lamphere family is trying to pick up the pieces after the tragic death last week of Nathan Winters in Petersburgh. He and his wife Eliza Lamphere Winters were building a farm, a business, a house and a family, and Eliza is now faced with the problem of how to continue all those endeavors without Nathan. Nathan was buried on the farm that he loved last Sunday, in a casket made by Eliza’s brother Kyle Lamphere.
[private]The farm is called Hill Hollow Farm. It is beginning its second year as a Community Supported Agriculture farm. Neighbors and friends have been calling, or just showing up, to do the farm chores.
Eliza’s sister, Nora Riccardi, set up the Nathan Winters Memorial Fund on a website called gofundme.com to accept donations to help Eliza keep the farm running, cover Nathan’s final expenses and finish the cabin that she and Nathan were building. The fundraising goal was originally set at $20,000, but after that amount was raised in a matter of days, they have set the goal higher. As of this writing, 435 people have donated to that fund in its first week, for a total raised so far of $39,400. Eliza’s sister Rebekah Hartman said many of the people who have contributed to that fund are not local and are not known to the Lamphere family. They may be people that Nathan knew previously or met in his extensive travels, or they may be people who just had to give after hearing the heart-rending story of Nathan’s premature death. Nora Riccardi posted on that site this comment, “There seems to be no limit on the number of people Nathan touched or helped and who now want to help his family. We deeply appreciate the support that has been given, and we know Eliza will be able to put it to good use on the farm and in her home and for her babies. Thank you so much for all of your love, prayers and generous spirits!”
Nathan leaves a 13 month old daughter, Mathilda Marie, and Eliza is expecting a second child in September. The family has also set up an education fund for the two children, called the Winters Children Education Fund. Anyone who would like to contribute to that fund may send checks to Eliza at 350 Hill Hollow Road, Petersburgh, NY, 12138.
Eliza is committed to fulfilling the farm’s commitments to its subscribers this season, and many are stepping forward to help her. Her brother-in-law Morgan Hartman is working on setting up an interactive web site to coordinate volunteers who want to work on the farm or work on helping to finish the house that Nathan and Eliza were building for the family. This will allow the family to match experienced farmers with farm laborers and skilled tradesmen with construction laborers so that the work can get done efficiently. The site will allow people who want to contribute their time and skills to enter the time they have available and their skill set so the family can arrange to coordinate the help and get all the tasks done. They are hoping to complete the house by the end of the summer – wiring, plumbing, insulation and finish work all remain to be done.
There are interns scheduled to work on the farm this summer, who will also be part of the mix of people working on the farm.
Eliza’s sister Rebekah Hartman said, “The outpouring of generosity and support that we have had this week has been overwhelming. It has been good for Eliza to know that people care and are willing to help.” [/private]