It was fascinating, the frenzy of preparedness/disaster porn on the news leading up to the arrival of Hurricane Irene, and then the vacuum of drama for New York City folk who had gotten into quite a lather. Good news, to be sure. The communities beyond NYC, in parts of Jersey, upstate New York, and of course the jaw-dropping devastation in Vermont, made us all quite certain it is always better to be safe than sorry. Of course communities all along the Eastern Seaboard felt the wrath of the storm. It will be quite some time before so very many families in so very many small towns, villages, and hamlets, get themselves even pointed toward normal once again.
A friend of mine (thanks DVV) grew up for part of her youth, and still has family in Prattsville, NY, a town decimated by the floods following Hurricane Irene. It is one of too, too many like it, with homes destroyed, businesses wiped out, roads and bridges washed away…and because of the facebook awareness, it has given me a more personal glimpse into this tragedy. Here is a website I’d like you to visit, Help Windham Rebuild (Windham is just a few miles east of Prattsville). If not this community, find another to support. I’m learning the un-thought of details, like disposable one-time use cameras–the region has been declared a disaster area, but of course cameras and most possessions were lost, yet damage must be documented for insurance and FEMA relief. We never think of that need, in addition to clothing, food, water, toiletries, medical care, toys, lost and separated pets, and cleanup hours and dollars.
Find a way to support.
Change by Doing 