Gulfport artists rally around small business devastated by hurricane [Video]

GULFPORT, Fla. — The walk from the Brenda McMahon Gallery to Qi Crystal Energy may only be five minutes down Beach Blvd. in Gulfport, but the impact is immeasurable for Mellisa Loven.

Loven owns Qi Crystal Energy, which has been closed since suffering an estimated $150,000 in damage during Hurricane Helene.

“I got the trifecta: the home, the business and the car,” said Loven. “Crystals were broken everywhere, all over the floor. There was sand and mud and muck. Wow, I wasn’t prepared for it. I was in absolute shock, it was quite astounding, like something I could have never imagined.”

When Brenda McMahon heard about the devastation, she immediately put out a call to her fellow artists.

“I can’t say it enough that Gulfport is an amazing community,” said McMahon. “We don’t even think about it. It’s just what we do. We just help each other, and so when …