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Reaching out

Sunset, Nov, 2005 by Katie Tamony

When Hurricane Katrina ravaged the South in late August, the country suddenly seemed smaller. Though we in the West were miles away, we could relate to the heartbreak and devastation of losing a home.

No matter where you live, home is a haven from the outside world, where you feel most protected. And whether it's an earthquake or fire or hurricane that reminds us how vulnerable we truly are, we feel like neighbors instead of distant strangers when homes are threatened or destroyed.

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The destruction on the Gulf Coast captured our attention, and both Katrina and Rita (which was making landfall as we went to press) heightened our interest in disaster preparedness here and inspired us to send resources to the South. Sunset staffers have given generously to the relief effort, and our contributions have been matched by our parent company, Time Warner. Our sister magazine, Southern Living, has created grants to support organizations working to lend assistance. Through this program, they're giving to Habitat for Humanity and America's Second Harvest, as well as smaller, grassroots groups throughout the South. You can help and get ideas from other families and communities at www.sunset.com/rebuild

On a very different note, several families will have much to celebrate this season as winners in our Thanksgiving in the West recipe contest. With a grand prize of a $50,000 kitchen makeover, plus groceries from Safeway or Vons for a year, the contest attracted an amazing number of entries. We had to rent more ovens just to handle the testing, and our kitchens carried the aromas of turkey and pumpkin pie for weeks. Enjoy the results on page 93.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Reaching out

Sunset, Nov, 2005 by Katie Tamony

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