Cindy Ritter, owner of Bad Rock Books in Columbia Falls, Mont., has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $14,000 after a water leak was discovered under the bookshop's building. Water service had to be turned off to prevent additional damage and currently the building has no water.
The fundraising page for the bookstore, which carries new books of local interest and by local authors, as well as a wide variety of used books and book-related merchandise, noted that "the mandatory COVID shutdown already challenged Cindy, forcing her to close for 10 weeks. The store reopened but with only limited hours and days. Still, she's managed to hang on and survive. But this water leak could force her to close permanently.... When supporters reached out to Cindy to offer help, she was deeply moved, saying, 'My heart feels like it's being hugged.' "
Author Leslie Budewitz said Ritter "has been a big supporter of the local writing community; her store is truly community-based. Both the Authors of the Flathead and Montana Women Writers, two small multi-genre writers' organizations, are helping spread the word."