in the past year or so that I've neglected to blog (slight exaggeration?) I have worked both in and out of the office, being consumed by all things Sandy relief. because my team is assigned to the job of hazard mitigation, we have a list of properties around the coast (from the rockaways to breezy point, ny) that we go out and visit to collect data regarding the condition of their homes post-flooding from Sandy. we have about 200-300 properties with varying degrees of damage (some we can see from the outside and some we can't). a portion of our properties belong to the group of homes that were destroyed from the fires that broke out during the storm. it's definitely been an experience working in these communities and seeing how much damage mother nature can do. while out in the field, we've been fortunate enough to interact with the residents and community members and hear and see firsthand how their community is rebuilding itself. there are homes that are still, even after six months, missing half of their kitchen and part of their living room because the tide swept it back out to sea. the houses that were burnt to the ground are now leftover bits of foundation and sand. while in a certain community, we were talking with a resident and he was telling us how one family still comes back every so often to sit where their home once stood and barbecue together because it will always be their home. it's really inspiring to be surrounded by people who can see the good through so much bad.
in NCCC world, we've been focusing on projects we can get involved in to offer hours serving communities around new york outside of Sandy relief. we spent the better half of today in rye, new york volunteering at a pancreatic cancer research walk as "route marshals" (aka I cheered on about 500 walkers in 39 degree weather wearing my khakis and hoodie waving around three pom poms...tell me my day was not a success). it was one of the most wonderful days I've had probably ever. the walk was started about four years ago in memory of a mother in the community passing away from pancreatic cancer. her daughter has set up and run the event ever since. she decided to host the walk in a place that was special to her and her mother, which just so happened to be one of the most beautiful beaches located next to playland boardwalk (I was informed this was a rather famous pier/boardwalk in rye, so if you have not heard of it, I definitely recommend googling it because I have now decided to live there...right on the boardwalk). it was a beautiful day spent with an entirely new community that only exuded love and hope for the future of pancreatic cancer research and I could not have imagined spending my sunday any other way. so thank you, playland walkers of rye, new york, for welcoming us and sharing your generous and endless supply of sesame seed bagels and croissants. we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
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