Today is the first anniversary of the day Superstorm Sandy hit the New York metropolitan area. My guess would be that nearly everyone who visits the Women of Mystery has at least one friend or family member adversely impacted as Sandy made her way up the east coast of North America. I am thrilled that the Museum on Ellis Island reopened this past weekend. One more step toward normalcy.
Here in my beloved borough of Queens, the Rockaway peninsula was particularly hard hit. It is with great joy that I can say the newly refurbished Seaside Branch of the Queens Borough Public Library opened with a flourish just yesterday on Beach 116th street. When I was a teenager, my friends and I would travel by train two hours each way from the Bronx to Beach 110th Street and set up our blankets directly in front of the White House so we’d have easy access to soda and fries. Sometimes we’d walk up to Beach 116th. In those days the library was in a storefront near the train station. I loved to browse the shelves. Nothing is more exotic than a library that’s not your own. As happy as I am to see the library up and running I’m still saddened by the condition of much of the housing stock.
So many people are still displaced from homes that were damaged or destroyed by the storm. They are living in motels rooms, rental spaces, friend’s spare bedrooms, wherever they can find space, while they try to rebuild their homes and their lives. One great organization, The Rockaway Rescue Alliance (you can follow them on Facebook here.) developed the Shore Soup Project.
The volunteers steadfastly prepare and deliver nourishing homemade soup to anyone who needs it at the east end of the peninsula. As people pull their homes and their lives back together, it is a great comfort to have soup as a sign that the world notices and cares abvout your troubles. If you have a couple of dollars to spare, you can view the Alliance’s wish list on Amazon by clicking here. I bought a pot, donated some spoons and felt really good for days. Perhaps you can help by donating some containers, bouillon or cleaning supplies so that the effort can continue.
On the west end of the peninsula, Breezy Point was devastated by both flood and fire.
I posted about it last year, along with a link back to a post I wrote a year or so before about how Breezy was founded. Recovery has been a huge struggle with many houses still waiting for buildings permits. When I visited this summer I was cheered by the activity. People are trying so hard to get back to normal but for some folks normal is a long way off. USA Today has a video and story about Breezy one year after the storm.
Today would be a great day to give a quick call to anyone who was badly impacted by the storm. Ask how they are doing. And if their lives aren’t back to normal,reach out a hand.
****Thanks to Kathy Ryan who shares this link to a site that provides a long list of art and literature sites relating to Sandy. If I didn’t link it properly, you can find a working link in Kathy’s comment below.****
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