Disaster Relief

No politics as usual today. My thoughts are with the first responders, power company linemen, and brave volunteers who are struggling to keep us safe and dry in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Please remember the Red Cross in this time of need. This article describes some of the relief efforts:

One of the Red Cross shelters that opened Sunday was in Pleasantville, N.J., and by mid-day it was filling with a steady stream of people who were seeking safety from the approaching Hurricane Sandy. Most of those arriving – from babes in arms to senior citizens –- were coming from Atlantic City and nearby towns on the barrier islands along the Atlantic coast, but at least one was a vacationer from San Diego. Shelter manager Duncan Wiedman and his team – most of them volunteers from the Southern Shore and Jersey Coast Red Cross chapters – were preparing for 150 people in the high school and another 150 in the middle school next door... HOW TO HELP People can help by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief online, by text or by phone. Donations help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy. To donate, people can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.