As a violin bow maker and restorer, losing the use of my hands is the worst thing that could happen to my career. And indeed it happened in the spring of 2015 when I fell off a ten-foot ladder to a concrete floor, breaking my right wrist and index finger, and spraining my left wrist.
I couldn’t work for months while the bones healed. Serendipitously a friend told me of CERF+ just a few days after the accident. Hearing of the possibility of grant assistance through a time of emergency was extremely uplifting. As a self-employed craftsman in America it sometimes seems no one has my back. It was heartening to discover that CERF+ actually does, with no strings attached.
I am extremely grateful for the financial support CERF+ was able to offer to get through my time of healing. CERF+ saved my business from financial disaster and allowed me to take a break from anxiety to focus on healing. With diligent physical therapy, I’m back at the workbench with full use of both hands, new bow orders and restoration projects to keep them busy, financially afloat once again, and with a revitalized appreciation of my craft career. CERF+, thank you.