Irene

A colleague of mine forwarded this request, from one of her grad students who teaches in Roxbury (I have edited it a bit):

The bottom floor of my school was flooded and we lost a lot of sports and drama club equipment. However, the neighboring towns were devastated. Many people have lost homes, businesses were totaled and buildings continue to collapse. The electric company, as it continues to clean up, powers us down often.

If you would like to see what has happened to my area, go to http://www.watershedpost.com/, and you can see the photos. There are also links for the towns near me: Margaretville, Fleischmanns, Prattsville, Middleburgh to name a few.
Yesterday I rode my bike to Margaretville and Flesichmanns which are 11-15 miles away and the devastation is indescribable.
I have never seen anything like this. I am worried for the families and we are all just standing by to see whether or not our school year will begin on time.
My school has become a hub for the Red Cross and we are beginning to collect supplies for the towns where children have lost their homes, schools, transportation, and overall way of life.
I am proud of my community and what is happening here. The students have put in tremendous amounts of community service.
[Edited]On ourSuperintendent's Conference Day, students helped clean the building, playground, and athletic field.And will help sort donations that have come in so that they can get them to the families in need. While it is important that instruction take place (we all know the panic to have them ready for state tests and regents), I am pleased with my administrations' decision to allow our students (who are the more fortunate ones) to pitch in and give back.
We have been pretty fortunate in getting help. The National Guard is in Margareville and Fleischmanns as well as FEMA and other organizations who are helping these poor people. Margaretville is 11 miles away and where all of us went for groceries, prescriptions, etc. Sadly, today I found out that most of the stores on Main Street will be torn down because the flood damage was so severe.
My husband works for a non-profit organization that specializes in Main Street revitalization funding. His offices have now turned into Red Cross and DSS headquarters. He has come home every night emotionally and mentally drained from just seeing the devastated people coming into his office with the clothes on their backs and nothing else. They have no idea where to go, or what to do. To say this is awful is a sheer understatement.

Keep my neighbors in your thoughts, if you will, and thank you for being patient with my brief circumstance.

There is a tremendous need for school items: crayons, markers, notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, etc... Believe it or not, there is huge need for things like soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, and feminine supplies as well. There are many children who lost all of their back-to-school things; both supplies and clothes.

You can send them to:


Roxbury Central School – Hurricane Victims
53729 State Hwy. 30
Roxbury, NY 12474

Just put a note in that the supplies are for hurricane victims.

Thank you SO much for asking about this.

-Tammy