Connecting with the River; $2,700 donation to SLRA in memory of River Meriwether Johnson

Here is a story to start your morning... this is Anndrea, co-owner of @bluearrowboutique_, founder of @anndreasart. On 12/08/21 she donated $2700 to the @stlouisriveralliance in memory of her son River.

River sadly died during childbirth, at a planned homebirth. This all happened months before the first covid lockdown, meaning Anndrea and her family had to grieve alone and were unable to have a proper memorial service.

During the lockdown, they took many drives to get out of the house - the home that River died in. Spending much of those outings at Woodstock Bay, her and her husband dreamed about living on the river as a physical reminder of their son.

They had chosen the name 'River' because everything they dreamed for their son was related to what a river is: go with the flow, follow the path of least resistance, always move forward, don't look back, you make the world a better place just by being in it..

Anndrea says 'the St. Louis River touches so many people in the community. It was a place of peace for us when our son died. It feeds the big lake, therefore reaching more people and creatures than we can ever imagine. That's why we chose to raise money and donate our memorial money to the St. Louis River Alliance. May you think of our son River the next time you see a sparkle in the waters of the St. Louis River.'

Wow, we are so touched and inspired by Anndrea's courage to share her story, helping others who have experienced infant or baby loss... we promise to continue cleaning up the river, getting people on the water to enjoy the beauty, and to keep the river sparkling.

Thank you so much @anndreasart for your support, River lives on!

If you'd like to support @anndreasart further, she is selling FORIVER sweatshirts and stickers to fundraise for other organizations throughout town. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook, and check out her website to learn more.