Anne Dale and Brian Early August 2010

A story of a ring lost amongst the “stuff” in the rubble. A family heirloom that would grow beyond all monetary value and become one family’s Ring of Hope.

Anne Dale

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The Ring of Hope by Tom Fuldner September 3, 2007

In August (2007) Brian Early and his family returned to their home after they left in a hurry two years prior.

Pictures taken from Brian Early's boat

The Early’s live in the community of Lakeview, a section of New Orleans just northwest of the city, but still very much in the path of Hurricane Katrina.

photo by Brian Early

Strong winds and flooding waters hit their house hard, but today the floors are restored, the walls rebuilt and the furnishing replaced. About the only thing about the Early’s house that hadn’t changed are the memories accumulated over its 70-year history.

photo by Brian Early

The house had been built on piers that were almost four feet above the ground, yet when Katrina struck, the flood waters rose nearly eight feet higher, engulfing the first floor. Brian knew that to reclaim the house would require financial resources, hard work, patience and more than a little luck. But in those moments just before he set out to survey the damage, Brian may have thought that his luck was one more thing swept away by hurricane winds.

Early home Oct 2005

“My wife, Charlene, could not bear to see the destruction, so my daughter Amy and friend Hal went with me instead,” Brian says. “As we left, Charlene said, ‘if you can find only one thing, let it be the ring’.”

Among he possessions that his wife had left behind was a wedding ring that had been passed down to her from her mother and grandmother.

When Brian first climbed through the wreckage of his home, he understood his wife’s reluctance to accompany him.

mud and debris coated furniture

“Doors and windows had swollen in their frames,” he says. “Layers of wet mud and debris coated furniture, appliances, clothing, and whatever else that hadn’t washed away. As we sloshed through the damage, I knew that almost everything was lost. The ring may as well be a needle in a haystack, but I had to look for it. I was on a mission.”

“We threw pieces of the wreckage out a window to make a path in case we found anything salvageable,” Brain says. “Finally, I notice a glimmer. I started digging furiously on a section of the floor that gave way to a mud-coated mound of jewelry. Amy shouted suddenly: ‘Dad! The ring is there!’”

"we sloshed through the damage"

The discovery was bittersweet. The ring was coated with a tick tar. Amy said, “It’s bad. Don’t let Mom see it.”

“Within the hour, we walked into this exquisite little jewelry shop (Anne Dale Jeweller) that my friend recommended,” Brian says. “We tracked mud on the carpet as I approached the salesman behind the counter and told him my story. He smiled and said, ‘Bring it all in. I’d be happy to look at it.”

The musty smell of the mud-coated jewelry was overpowering, so they moved outside and sorted through the collection on the lawn. Brian picked up his wife’s ring and said, “What about this?”

The jeweler frowned as he held the ring and said, “I’m not sure. I think at one time it was workable. Give me a minute.” A minute became an hour. Brian was ready to give up. “I figured they probably had enough of me,” he says.

“I started to pick up my things when the jeweler came out with a ring case in hand, opening it saying, “I want you to give this to your wife. And tell her that if we can save this ring, we can do anything. And this ring represents hope: hope for the future, your family and life back in New Orleans.’”

Ring of Hope

“The ring shined,” Brian says. “They reset the diamonds. They reworked the whole thing and would not take any payment. I rushed home and handed the ring to my wife saying, ‘Baby, you’re not going to believe it!’ We all cried tears of joy.”

Brian says in the difficult months that followed, it was the recovery of the ring that gave him strength when he needed it most.

“It’s a story about people reaching out to each other,” he says.

“It’s about a ring… a ring of hope.”

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I am humbled to know such a small act in my store made such powerful difference in one family’s journey to recovery.

I would like to thank the Early family for sharing their story (our story) and for renewing “my hope”.

Anne Dale

]]> http://www.annedale.com/press/ring-of-hope/feed/ 2 http://www.annedale.com/press/paralyzed-iraqi-war-veteran-will-be-first-to-receive-adult-stem-cells-to-treat-spinal-cord-injuries/ http://www.annedale.com/press/paralyzed-iraqi-war-veteran-will-be-first-to-receive-adult-stem-cells-to-treat-spinal-cord-injuries/#comments Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:05:19 +0000 Anne Dale http://www.annedale.com/press/?p=446 Keeping Matt Cole and his family in our prayers in these exciting times. We are proud to have Matt as our national spokesman for the Star of Hope military jewelry design. A United States Marine that inspires everyone that comes in contact with him!

COVINGTON, La.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–TCA Cellular Therapy, LLC has enrolled its first patient to participate in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first adult stem cell clinical trial to treat spinal cord injuries. Enrollee and Marine Veteran, Matt Cole was paralyzed from the chest down in a 2005 insurgent attack in Iraq.

Anne Dale with American Hero Marine Matt Cole

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (February 2010), it is estimated that up to 311,000 people in the U.S. are living with a Spinal Cord Injury with the average health care and living expenses cost for the first year following the injury as much as $830,000 per patient.

TCA Cellular’s neurological team is led by stem cell experts Jose J. Minguell, PhD, Carolina Allers, PhD, and Gabriel Lasala, MD, neurosurgeon Gustavo Gutnisky, MD, and neurologist Srinivas Ganji, MD. The team is scheduled to treat ten patients in Phase I.

“Many spinal cord injury patients have no effective treatment available at this time,” stated Dr. Gutnisky. “I’m very encouraged by the results of the pre-clinical trials and anticipate this may become a significant therapy for these patients in the near future.”

Utilizing TCA Cellular’s proprietary therapy, a couple of thousand adult stem cells have been extracted from the patient’s own bone marrow, Mesenchymal Stem Cells have been separated, purified, multiplied to millions and will be infused into Cole’s spinal cord later this month.

“In theory we expect the cells to repair damaged neurons,” explained TCA Cellular president, Dr. Lasala. “At minimum, our team expects this therapy will provide some improvement to the patient’s motory and sensory functions with no side effects.”

About TCA Cellular Therapy
Under the scientific guidance of cellular biologist, Jose J. Minguell, Ph.D., TCA Cellular Therapy, LLC is a biotherapeutic adult stem cell research and development company. The company has been recognized by the FDA as one of the top 10 U.S. companies researching stem cell therapies. Founded in 2006, the privately-held company has multiple ongoing FDA clinical trials utilizing patient’s own cells. The company is located in Covington, Louisiana.

learn more

Dale is selling shrimp boot earrings and other Gulf-related items and giving the proceeds to struggling businesses in the area.

“All of the pieces of the collection, My Home-A Way of Life, will be donated to charitable causes, ranging from $5 to $20 on each piece,” Dale said.

Dale is also teaming up with a local Creole bean company owner and music artist to help spread the word.

The trio not only want to raise money for fishermen, but also want to spread the word that there are still safe areas to fish in the Gulf.

All three believe selling the jewelry is one more way they can help do their part in the clean up and rebuilding efforts.

“Its not about jewelry, we’re just using what we do to catapult this music, jewelry and food,” Eric Newman, with Blue Runner Beans, said.

Newman also explained that all three of them can help encourage people to start fishing again by putting a positive spin on the situation.

New Orleans Jeweler Anne Dale is known for creating beautiful works of art like the Finish Strong line. Now, Dale has come up with a concept to raise money for fishermen affected by the oil spill. Dale explains, “All of the pieces of the collection, My Home A Way of Life, will be donated to charitable causes, ranging from $5 dollars to $20 dollars on each piece.”

From shrimp boot earrings to a defender dog tag, Dale has a variety of pieces that are all moderately priced. “These pieces retail for $35.99 even $9.99″ Dale says.

To help her get out the word about the jewelry, she’s teaming up with Eric Newman, of Blue Runner Foods and musician Amanda Shaw. Newman says Blue Runner wants to not only raise money for fishermen, but also spread the word that there are still some safe areas to fish in the Gulf. “Just help out the guys in the fishing industry from tackle distributors to marina owner, to charter captain, just to get people to go out there and fish and put a positive spin on it” Newman comments.

Bottom line, these three aren’t just promoting a jewelry line, they’re trying to help save our coast. “It’s not about jewelry, we’re just using what we do, to catapult this…music, jewelry and food” Newman says.

If you’d like to purchase some of Anne’s jewelry or just learn more about the cause, you can check out their website, americascoast.org.

Meg Gatto – ABC26 News

I will defend my home… a way of life.

I will fervently protect the wetlands, marshes and beaches of America’s Gulf Coast.

I demand investing in the infrastructure of America’s Energy Coast while protecting the fragile ecosystem in which it co-habitates.

I will support the seafood and tourist industries of the Gulf Coast and frequent businesses that do the same; ensuring that this – a way of life… my way of life will survive and flourish to be enjoyed by generations to come.

This is my Pledge
This is America’s Coast
This is My Home… A Way of Life
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Defending – My Home A Way of Life
June 22, 2010, New Orleans

Anne Dale, Blue Runner Foods and musician Amanda Shaw have teamed up to protect the Gulf Coast.

New Orleans jewelry designer Anne Dale’s latest creation, a shield, features pelican wings, the coastline, a redfish and the words “My Home – A Way of Life”; also inscribed along the bottom is the badge #042010(the date of the oil rig explosion).

Packaged in a small burlap pouch (a mini oyster sack) each shield comes with a Pledge to America’s Gulf Coast.

Pledge to America’s Gulf Coast ©
by Anne Dale

I will defend my home… a way of life.
I will fervently protect the wetlands, marshes and beaches of America’s Gulf Coast..
I demand investing in the infrastructure of America’s Energy Coast while protecting the fragile ecosystem in which it co-habitates.

I will support the seafood and tourist industries of the Gulf Coast and frequent businesses that do the same; ensuring that this – a way of life… my way of life will survive and flourish to be enjoyed by generations to come.

This is my Pledge
This is America’s Coast
This is My Home… A Way of Life
___

“It is absolutely a call to action,” said Dale “we are a proud, resilient people from a southern culture that is polite and humble. Unfortunately, some mistake our demeanor, values, our way of life as a weakness; these are the same people that would destroy our wetlands, pollute our coastline and threaten our economy if we allow them.”

Blue Runner Foods marketing representative Eric Newman, a chef and avid fisherman, also manages the company’s fishing boats.  “Some people have claimed the Gulf Coast is fragile, weak, even dead– that is just not the case, and not representative of Gulf Coast fisherman I know,” he remarked. “They are some of the most hard-working, fun-loving, passionate people on the planet…. I knew jeweler Anne Dale since her work after Katrina and I hoped we could do something together to make a difference.”

The Rhythm

Joining Dale and Newman is ambassador for the wetlands and advocate for coastal restoration Amanda Shaw– bringing a rhythm to the project. After her sterling performance in Hurricane on the Bayou, Amanda and her music became synonymous with the issues of coastal erosion and the importance of barrier island protection.

“The trio has a unique opportunity to raise awareness, money, and the spirits of people most affected by the oil spill. A jeweler, a food company and a musician might seem like an unlikely trio,” said Dale, “but it allows us to create single banner for everyone”.

The design will be available in a variety of formats such as the Blue Defender Tags™, tee shirts, caps and jewelry pendants\pins.

All items will be available at retailer jewelers, grocery stores, pharmacies and festivals across the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida.  The goal is to unite everyone behind the shield, prices start at $9.95 (for the Blue Defender Tag) with $2.00 of each purchase going to the recovery effort. Also, a portion of the net proceeds of all items will be donated to Gulf Coast 501-C3 non-profits helping the fisherman and wildlife affected by the oil disaster.

Anne Dale

“My Home A Way of Life™” is the newest design in the Anne Dale Collection for Causes that raises awareness, money, and the spirits of people in need. Other original designs include the Self-esteem pendant™, the military Star of Hope Collection™, I Love New Orleans Collection™, Facing Autism Collection™, Finish Strong Collection™ and continues to grow with inspired works.

Available through a network of charity partners and retail jewelers while being proudly Made in the U.S.A..

Eric Newman

Eric Newman of Blue Runner Foods and, more specifically, the absolute best Blue Runner Beans on the planet earth. A sales rep for the Louisiana based Blue Runner Foods group and an avid offshore fisherman, Eric understands the bad press the Gulf Coast waters has been getting and wants to do his part to make a positive difference.

Amanda Shaw

Amanda is a powerful performer, composer, and arranger who has been touring nationally and internationally since she was eight years old.  The New Orleans native is a pioneer of the new breed of young, roots-based musicians who have embraced both the traditional sounds of Louisiana and the pop sounds of the mainstream. In 2009, Ms. Shaw was recognized as the Emerging Cultural Leader by the State of Louisiana. She takes her role as ambassador for her home state very seriously.

learn more:

www.myhomeawayoflife.com

New Orleans jewelry designer Anne Dale pins Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser with her first Defender of My Home A Way of Life pin.

Dale’s latest creation, a shield, features pelican wings, the coastline, a redfish and the words “My Home – A Way of Life”; also inscribed along the bottom is the badge #042010 – the date of the oil rig explosion.

“Mr Nungesser speaks for the people when he stands up to both BP Oil and the federal goverment for Our Way of Life. He not only understands the importance of America’s Energy Coast to the nation but the important role the coastal wetlands play in seafood industry and hurricane potection.” said Dale

Pray for the Gulf Coast was designed for the first anniversary of hurricane Katrina years later many people wear it as a reminder of the power of prayer and hope for recovery.

Rhythm of Louisiana $119

Just in time for Jazz Fest the “Rhythm of Louisiana” pendant or pin in sterling silver.

My father was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame at an event held in the French Quarter in November of 2009.

A big honor as Al Hirt was also inducted that evening; past inductees include Louis Armstrong, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint, Pete Fountain, Ellis Marsalis and the list goes on and on.

Paul Ferrara (my father) played drums for Al Hirt and Louie Prima for most of his music career.

Paul Ferrara

I was so proud making him a gold custom lapel pin - Rhythm of Louisiana which he still wears proudly.

Prima’s drummer for several years in Las Vegas at the height of Prima’s career, my father was asked to participate in the unveiling of the New Orleans Jazz Fest Poster.

“This is wonderful that we’re remembering him like this,” Ferrara said. “But you know, artists come and go. But it’s the music, the music that lives on.”

Prima’s daughter, Lena, and son, Louis Jr., as well as Keely Smith, who was the lead singer of his band and former wife, are scheduled to perform as is my father on drums.

Show your love with a Rhythm of Louisiana pendant or pin.

Jewelry designer Anne Dale makes a donation to Maria Burkhard of the Louisiana Breast Cancer Task Force.

Dale’s Perseverance Pendant is often used as an item in support of people facing difficult situations such as cancer. The “Forward” on the ribbon reminds us of our human spirit and to persevere in all things be it relationships, financial or in our health.