The end of 'Treetoons Town' & the homeless camps in East St Louis

Christopher Smith and Nehemiah Stone have been a huge help, wether it has been art, or arboriculture events or helping a homeless friend of ours move to another place. Bebe' McBride's belongings are in plastic bins, protected 
on all sides with a few remaining Merferds.

To build a Homeless Treetoon friend a home....
North St Louis lumber, who donates Merferd making wood, also donated the lumber for the building of the teensy house for Bebe'.

Dave never would tell me his last name, or else you would know it. Dave and his gal Bonnie, (now deceased) were featured in the documentary film "Living in Tents" by film maker Paul Crane. I had met Dave at the St Louis International film festival where Josh Herum's "The Man Behind the Merferds" was shown alongside "Living in Tents". The days spent with Dave were full of
laughter. I learned to be very careful about what I said or what I
asked him, because he had an uncanny ability to roast me.

The pallet yard had come
to an end, and Bebe's
hood had become
dangerous. It seemed a
good fit to move her and
the Merfs to safe camp 
 on the edge of some
woods in East St Louis.
I hired homeless carpenter
​Dave, who moved in 
with his warm red tent. 

---

The old cast iron fire
pit burning day and
night, cooking and
smoking  Bebe's
​camp cooking fare.
On the days we did
not do tree work, we spent carving
and painting our
art on a long sturdy
work bench station.

---

During the stay at camp,
Christopher, Bebe' and me
created over thirty
"Merfmass Trees". Our
friends Don and Barb
Moore sold them, without
any consignment fee,
from their shop on
Cherokee St in St Louis,
"RIVERSIDE ANTIQUES".
Treetoons products will
continue to be made 
available there.
​

---

We are a little weary playing musical Merferds. All loaded up with no where to go. Trees are calling for them, but our tree customers are calling for us to trim. So many Treetoons and
so little time. 

​ I visited with with Rob Gibson, the first and original 'founder of
the camp. His cozy, tent was home sweet home to him.
On the wall in the background a certificate of his baptism.​Channel Four's Ray Preston and his Camera man Steve interviewed Rob the next morning. 

The next thing I knew they were over by our truck. Rob asked them if they ever had heard about the Man behind the Merferds. Ray had been wanting to interview me some day and do a story.
He hasn't been released to do it yet. But he and Steve DID
​both get a drawing.