Detours

I once gave a refund to a woman who would later become a convicted murderer. Her name was Pam Hupp. We’d met through my Thirty-One side hustle, at a gathering held in memory of Betsy Faria. I couldn’t have imagined what I’d learn years later. But before any of that, there were two sisters planning a party. I’m Angie Norris, and this is Side Hustle GPS. Today, we’re stopping in Celebration Square to explore Community Event Assistance. When I was a Thirty-One consultant, a woman attended one of my parties and told me she wanted to host one around Christmas. We picked a date. I dropped off totes and catalogs so she could start collecting orders. She and her sister were planning it together. We ended up moving the party until after Christmas. Then my phone rang. “Angie, we can’t have the party anymore.” I said, “No problem. Just let me know when I can pick up my things.” Then I asked, “Do you mind me asking why?” “My sister was murdered.” Her sister was Betsy. I didn’t ask anything else. What do you even say to someone who has just told you that? Later, I looked up the news. A few days afterward, she called me again. She’d talked with her sister’s best friend. They wanted to have the party after all. They’d been planning it with Betsy, and now they wanted to do it in her honor. So we gathered. Her family. Her friends. People who had known and loved her. It was somber. It was also the largest Thirty-One party I’d ever held. The woman introduced as Betsy’s best friend was Pam Hupp. About a week later, she asked for a refund, and I gave it to her. That was my last interaction with her. Years later, seeing her in the news was surreal. I kept thinking back to being in that room. But Betsy deserves to be remembered beyond what happened to her. Her sister wanted to keep something they’d planned together. And the people who loved her showed up. That’s what stays with me. Sometimes, people need a place to be together, even when nobody knows quite what to say. I understand wanting that sense of belonging. My dad was military, and we moved around. Growing up biracial in the ’80s, in a small town, I didn’t always feel like I fit. So bringing people together became something I cared about deeply. It still is. And if you’re someone who can organize the details that make a gathering possible, you have something valuable to offer. A family may want a reunion but need help coordinating it. Neighbors may want to meet but need someone to get things started. A community group may need another dependable person to help carry the work. You can offer a service that helps them follow through. Ask what the gathering means to them. Listen before deciding what it should look like. Then identify where you can help: invitations, supplies, schedules, setup, or welcoming people when they arrive. AI can help prepare the plan and materials. You’re the person who pays attention when the plan needs to change. Your first money move? Find one person or group planning a small gathering. Offer to handle one defined part of it, and agree on the work and your fee. Start there. Because sometimes, the hardest part is having an idea and nobody to help you make it happen. Explore Community Event Assistance in Celebration Square at SideHustleGPS.com. You can create your own community. Betsy’s sister made the invitation. The people who loved her came. And I was grateful I could help them gather.