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Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School teachers Camille Parisi, Michelle Reuter and Mary Eickler are leading the latest trip along with their colleagues at the school. Parisi and Reuter were among a group of Lakeland staff members and their families who previously traveled to the Rockaways in Queens to help Sandy victims with relief efforts.
After seeing the devastation on the news, Parisi and Thomas Jefferson Elementary School teacher Zenobia Kellock organized for the group to travel to the hard hit area. The location was found through the help of United for the Troops' Founders, Jim and Pat Rathschmidt. Members of the group also provided supplies and assistance. Approximately 17 people went to Beach 113 and Rockaway Beach Boulevard.
For Parisi, who grew up near and vacationed on the beaches of East Rockaway, the trips are personal having.
"Now, as an adult, I am heartbroken at the devastation," she said.
Donations from the Freight House Cafe in Mahopac and Bob-B-Que's in Shrub Oak, and JV Bagels helped the group serve more than 500 hamburgers, 600 hot-dogs, and 300 bagels. They were also able give out donations and help with the clean-up of some of the homes, Kellock said.
"I have to say that the group that went down was amazing. We cooked and served, gave out donations and got down and dirty helping with the clean-up of some homes," said Kellock. "It really was wonderful and I am so happy to have been a part of it. If you can believe it, I would say we served food to almost 1,000 people."
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