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After Boston, Is There Any Turning Back?

By Dawn Papandrea on April 22, 2013

Like most people, I was elated over the weekend to learn that the terror is over in Boston. But I was foolish last week. I tried to shield my kids from the horrible Boston marathon bombings and the aftermath. I say I’m foolish because my oldest is 8 — just like Richard Martin was — and I should know better by now that he lives in a different world than I did when I was 8.

He lives in a world where tragedy, terrorism, school shootings, and lockdown drills are a normal part of  nightly dinner conversations and are carefully worked into classroom lectures. So when I saw the news this past Monday, my immediate thought was the same as most people I talked to.

Again? How can this be happening again?!

My next thought was that I didn’t have the strength to have another “important talk,” and see the confused, frightened look on my son’s face as I sat him down to explain that evil exists in this world, but that good always triumphs.

For the last few months, it’s been Sandy Hook and Hurricane Sandy (which was particularly tragic in our area), the sad death of a karate classmate, the realization of what a beloved aunt’s cancer battle really entails… maybe if I can spare him this one, I thought, I could preserve his innocence just a little longer.

But of course, when he went to school the next day, he heard all about it and began asking me for details as soon as the dismissal bell rang. He asked for the kind of details that no 8 year old should ever, ever be concerned with. He wanted to know how many people died. He wanted to know if any of them were young people. He wanted to know why anyone would do this, and if the police will kill them like the soldiers killed Osama Bin Laden. I started with the fact that there had been three deaths, with many other people hurt.

Here’s what he said: “That’s not so bad. It could have been worse. It could have been like the Twin Towers.” In that moment, I realized my sons are growing up in a world where we rank tragedies in terms of body counts, in which “only 3″ casualties makes it almost unremarkable. In this new world, when bombs can go off in a major city on a beautiful day during a highly attended athletic celebration, we can say “it could have been worse” because we know it could have been — we lived through 9/11 and haven’t forgotten the horrors of that day.

I don’t think it could be much worse for the families of the deceased, or for the spectators whose limbs were blown off, of course. The fear doesn’t get more real than the type felt by the residents who were in lockdown during the massive manhunt for the two terrorists.

But for those of us watching from afar, who did not have friends and family in the immediate danger zone, we’re desensitized to it all now. Sure, we mourn, we get angry, we pray, and we tear up with pride as we watch our nation come together and break into impromptu renditions of the Star Spangled Banner. But we’re not surprised or shocked anymore.

While this saddens me, I can at least take comfort from the fact that through these awful events, children are also seeing the best of humanity, heroism, courage, and patriotism. They can look for the “helpers,” as Mr. Rogers said, and always find them.

I just wish my kids could know what 8 felt like for my generation, where we derived our notion of good vs. evil from pro wrestling, Rocky movies, and Scooby-Doo. But after Boston, I’m not sure that’s possible.

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RIP Mayor Koch, My First Boss

By Dawn Papandrea on February 1, 2013

New York City Mayor Ed Koch gave me my first job. You see, we were in the middle of a water shortage in the early 1980s, and he took to the TV to appoint all New York City children his deputy mayors.

This was the closest thing I could find on YouTube about the Save Water campaign. (I love the kids’ accents!)

I was around 4 or 5 years old when this happened, and apparently, I took the job very seriously. I saw the perfect opportunity to flash my imaginary badge and start taking charge when my family took me to a NY Mets game and we went to the bathroom between innings. As we waited on line, in stall after stall, I heard flush after flush, and I started to get mad. Didn’t they know that there was a water shortage? Hadn’t they ever heard: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s brown, flush it down” and all that?

I started yelling something to the effect of: “Hey everybody — listen up. I’m the deputy mayor, and you need to stop flushing all these toilets right now!!!”

Needless to say, I never lived this one down. But as I laughed about it today with my cousin, it made me realize how likeable and how New York — yes, I’m using New York as an adjective! — Mayor Koch really was. No matter what, I’ll always appreciate that he put his trust and faith in me and my fellow deputies that we could make a real difference in the world. That’s a big deal to a five year old, or at least it was to me.

Rest it peace, Mr. Mayor! It was a pleasure working for you.

 

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A Few More Bullet Points on Gun Control

By Dawn Papandrea on January 23, 2013

So I wrote this: The President is Right on Target With Gun Law Legislation.

I needed to share my thoughts about gun control, and many of my fellow parents have reached out to tell me they agree with my feelings on the matter. I might not have felt so strongly about it, had it not been for the fact that over the last month, my son has been coming home from school, and telling me about the lockdown drills he’s been doing in class. He was so proud of himself when he told me his clever idea to stay safe. “If anyone came into my classroom with a gun, I’d pretend I was already dead so they wouldn’t shoot me.” Did I mention he’s 8 years old? He should not be worrying about things like this.

Like Huffington Post writer Lisa Belkin wrote just after the Sandy Hook shootings, gun control is very much a parenting issue now. That’s why I decided to write down my thoughts, too — my raw, emotional thoughts — on the matter.

In response, gun supporters have been attacking what I wrote, which is no surprise. The experience has confirmed that there are a lot of angry gun owners out there! Because I don’t really want to engage them in such a public forum as the HuffPo comments section — frankly, some of them scare me — I thought I’d share a few additional thoughts here.

First, an admission: I screwed up. I didn’t properly research my gun terminology, so a good portion of the comments call me out for my ignorance, and to an extent, rightly so. I said “automatic” weapons, when I should have said “semiautomatic.” I had my editor make the correction for me. My bad. I’m not a firearms expert. I’m not a constitutional scholar, as I said in the piece. I’m just a concerned parent. Nitpicking every word I use and every analogy I make is choosing to ignore the crux of my argument, which is that having a national conversation about gun violence is a good thing.

Dispelling some false logic… Yes, if we took away every gun (which, of course, this administration is in no way, shape, or form saying it wants to do), the bad guys will find other ways to kill. After all, the terrorists used box cutters to take down airplanes and kill over 3,000 people. But saying that we didn’t ban box cutters, so therefore we shouldn’t change the gun laws is using false logic. For starters, we did overhaul our entire airport security screening processes after 9/11 to include not being allowed to take any sharp objects — from nail clippers to knitting needles — onto an airplane. We did not ban these items. We just adapted the way in which we’re allowed to use them. Furthermore, I understand that these new laws will probably not stop every determined criminal. There is no magical solution, unfortunately. But if rethinking some policies can spare even one innocent victim, isn’t it an option worth exploring?

Let’s talk politics. Did I mention that I’m a Republican, with many family members who own guns? I didn’t write the piece to go on some pro-Obama, liberal soapbox. However, there are those who believe that tampering with gun laws is just the beginning phase of our country turning into a dictatorship. They’d have you believe that Obama would send armies into the homes of its newly disarmed citizens, just like the Nazis did. That’s what the staunchest gun supporters would have you believe. Is that not being just a tad paranoid? Here’s what’s true: Until Newtown, when it came to gun violence and gun control, Obama avoided the topic like his election depended on it. Maybe it did. But after Newtown — after the election was already in the books — the public outcry demanded he take this issue on, and so he did.

Not all big cities with strict gun laws are overwhelmed by violence. I live in New York, where Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo have been far more outspoken than the president on gun violence. And guess what? New York is considered one of the — if not the — safest big city in the nation! Sure, there are still too many illegal guns on the streets, and still lots of work to be done, but at least we’re taking steps toward making the city and state safer.

Who decides who’s worthy of gun ownership? That was a question asked in response to my post. Obviously, whatever law is passed will clearly define that answer, the most obvious being that those with a history of violent crimes should not be permitted to own a gun. And to be sure that that doesn’t happen, criminal background checks have to be a must; as of now, they are not happening across the board. There needs to be a real process and real consequences, just as there is a process for getting a driver’s license or applying for a loan.

The Second Amendment still stands. People are still not getting that message. No legislation has suggested that we take away the right to bear arms. We are blessed to have that right, but anything taken to the extreme will have consequences, and therefore, we put exceptions in place when necessary. For instance, we hold freedom of speech sacred, but the exceptions are we cannot defame others, or yell “fire” in a movie theater. The very fact that we have amendments in the first place indicates that we are a nation that is willing to change and progress for the good of its people. If that means our right to bear arms will require being screened, trained, and recertified after a certain time period, than so be it.

The truth is I wish this issue would go away on its own and never come back. But after Columbine, Virginia Tech, Gabby Giffords, and the Aurora movie theater, we didn’t learn. Now we’ve added Newtown to the list.

We can’t just lay down and play dead. Not this time.

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Taking Care of Our Own: Staten Island Strong!

By Dawn Papandrea on November 14, 2012

I’ve often heard Staten Islanders say we live in the “Forgotten Borough,” and to some extent, it’s true. In the first couple of days after Sandy left a path of destruction all up and down the Northeast coast, most of what was shown on the news was about the ravaged Jersey Shore and the flooded NYC Subways. It wasn’t until a few days later that the world heard about what happened in Staten Island, where unfortunately, it was discovered was the place in which the most people died as a result of the storm. And if not for the incredibly brave first responders who made over 1,300 water rescues that night (1,300!), the number of deceased would have been even harder to bear.

(If you haven’t read my essay in The Huffington Post, I hope you’ll take a look.)

Because of the delayed reaction (and admittedly, also because of the sheer logistics of deploying government and charitable help to get here from out of state) Staten Islanders didn’t see any Red Cross trucks or FEMA representatives in those first few dark, terrible days. What they relied on was the overwhelming generosity of their fellow Staten Islanders.

Neighbors shared generator plugs, and helped each other pump out water and begin the cleanup process. They took displaced friends into their homes, and brought meals to the elderly. Around the Island, makeshift donation centers immediately started popping up at local bowling alleys, children’s party places, fitness clubs, and even out of people’s garages. Would-be marathoners turned their canceled runs into an opportunity to “run” supplies like batteries, flashlights, and nonperishable food to the most effected neighborhoods. On Halloween, just a couple of days after Sandy, trick-or-treaters went around not asking for candy, but handing out sandwiches. Local businesses stepped up and began offering their goods and services free of charge. The Staten Island Hilton filled its rooms, lobbies, and conference room areas with evacuees, and all of the supplies needed to keep them comfortable, clothed, and well fed.

Facebook and Twitter turned out to be the best way to share information so that volunteers knew where to distribute the massive amounts of donations that came pouring in. I tried to compile what I saw in my feeds here on the blog.  Slowly but surely, efforts became more organized, and volunteers were ready and waiting to take on their next assignment. And through it all, it was our local politicians who stood on the front lines, day in and day out, to help bring some attention to what Staten Islanders were going through, and ultimately, make sure the forgotten borough received the help it so badly needed. So James Oddo, Nicole Malliotakis, Vinny Ignizio, Andrew Lanza, and Michael Grimm — I applaud you, and I thank you!

Eventually, FEMA and the Red Cross did show up. As did Jon Stewart, Julianne Moore, and a handful of other celebrities. As the story unfolded on the evening news, the help started pouring in via private and corporate donations. And as I sit here writing this, it’s the eve of President Obama’s visit to Staten Island, I’m betting the first one he’s ever made. To think that the President will be walking around Miller Field tomorrow, where my kid plays baseball!

While we of course appreciate all of this very helpful and much needed assistance and acknowledgement, what Staten Islanders will remember the most about this tragedy is how we all pulled together for each other. From day one and still to this day, when the rest of the world forgot about us, Staten Islanders took care of their own. Through our strength, faith, and fortitude, we sure showed the world how unforgettable we truly are!


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Where to Help Sandy Victims in Staten Island

By Dawn Papandrea on November 2, 2012

I thought it might be helpful to compile this list for those of my Staten Island friends who want to help their neighbors, friends, colleagues, co-workers, and loves ones.

Please feel free to share with your social media networks, and add to the list in the comments. God bless everyone!

 

 

FINAL UPDATE, 11/11 >> Tomorrow will be two weeks since Sandy changed many lives forever. I’m making this the final update to this post since there are people and groups out there who have since organized, mobilized, and built a following to keep Staten Islanders updated on a moment to moment basis, and they’re doing a much better job than I could on this little blog. I commend them, and thank them for their tireless service to their fellow residents.

People have thanked me for what I’ve done here, but it pales in comparison with the volunteers working back breaking hours gutting out damaged homes, or spending days handing out supplies, or making deliveries. I’m just sitting behind my laptop. I am thrilled that my connections were able to connect relatives and friends with the help they needed, or get information to people who didn’t have the power or internet connection to stay informed. And I’ll keep the updates coming on Facebook and Twitter. For the best up-to-the-minute information, I’d recommend heading to Facebook and following:

James Oddo
Vincent Ignizio
Nicole Malliotakis
Rebuild Staten Island
After the Storm: Staten Island Recovery Info
Staten Island Parent
SINYC Living

Stay strong, Staten Island! And may God bless us all!

——

UPDATE, 11/8, 11:00 a.m. >> We’ve weathered yet another storm (!), but already we’re thawing out, and looking forward to a few days of warmer temperatures. I can’t marvel enough at the incredible efforts of our local politicians. They are not only accessible to people’s questions, suggestions, and needs, but they are tirelessly making sure that progress is getting made. Keep up the great work, SI leaders! 

Volunteers Needed…
To drive, sort items and unload vehicles. Report to Midland Beach (981 Capodanno Blvd.).

Cleaning
Movement Church, based in Castleton Corners, is looking for volunteers to clean out destroyed homes. Volunteers can report to Hett Avenue and Marine Way. For more information, call 718-812-9894 or 718-216-941

Volunteers and Donations
Project Hospitality is seeking volunteers and donations. People can register as volunteers, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Project Hospitality, 100 Park Ave., Port Richmond, to help receive donations and restock the organization’s storm-damaged warehouse.Donation Sorting
Ariana‘s, which has been using an unfinished room at 192 Ebbitts Street, between Hett and Roma avenues as a dining hall for storm victims, needs volunteers to help cope with the influx of donations.
Lost Pets
A 24-hour hotline has been set up to help find lost pets on Staten Island due to Sandy. The number is 347-573-1561.

Coming Up…
On Friday beginning at 9 a.m. Lowe’s is teaming up with Feed The Children and will have trucks with food, cleaning supplies and water at the Staten Island Lowe’s store on Forest Avenue.

Gateway Church (200 Boscombe Ave.) needs the following: generators of all sizes, contractor bags, bleach, other industrial cleaners, push brooms, mops, coated work gloves, and other clean-up supplies. They will also be organizing a team to go out to designated works sites this Saturday at 9 a.m. For details and to find out how you can help, email help@gcny.org.

———–
UPDATE, 11/6, 8:30 a.m. >> As everyone tries to pitch in and get back to a routine, despite the dropping temperatures and fears of another storm, many are heading out to vote today, too. Happy Election Day! Here’s what else is going on today…

Voting info
If you’re not sure where to vote, text “nycvotes” to 877877. Displaced New Yorkers can vote at any polling site.

Email for help
As per Michael Grimm: It’s not always easy to ask for help, but there has been an overwhelming amount of generosity. You may email SISandyDonations@gmail.com and we can discreetly assist you in getting new clothes, food, and items you need.

Manual Laborers for the “Silver Tape” Crew
Stationed at 80 Marine Way off of Ebbits Ave. Anyone who is interested in volunteering for manual labor,  can report to that location and ask for Pastor Steve Martino of the Movement Church. Tell them you were sent by Frank Recce and want to have silver tape on your arm so you can be dispatched in a crew of 5-10 people to do manual labor. Our group serves its main purpose between the hours of 8am and 4pm.

Medication
Mobile medical vans staffed with primary care providers will be able to provide medical care and distribute commonly prescribed drugs at two of the City’s Disaster Assistance Service Centers on Staten Island.
Miller Field – 600 New Dorp Lane (next to New Dorp HS), 10:00am – 1:00pm
Mt. Loretto – 6581 Hylan Boulevard at Sharrotts Road, 2:00pm – 5:00pm

Clothes Donations Available for Pickup
3986 Amboy Road in Staten Island has 100s of bags of clothes, food, jackets baby stuff for anyone to just pick up for yourself or to pickup and distribute. Just go in and get what you need. Everyone has been sorting the items by sizes.

School Supplies
IS 24 in Great Kills in need if school supplies. Backpacks, paper, etc. Can drop directly at school.
IS 75 will also be collecting backpacks, notebooks, and pencils, as well as sneakers, boots, and shoes in all children’s sizes.

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>> UPDATE, 11/5, 9:30 a.m. It’s a new week, and a slight return to some normalcy for many. Some schools are reopened, people are making the long commute to their jobs using modified public transportation, and the cleanup continues. No new updates as far as new places to volunteer, but I’ll post as I hear about any. Stay strong everyone!

Organized Cleanup Crews
Sign up for the FB “event” to Rebuild Staten Island. They are organizing crews to deploy to specific homes that are requesting help.
https://www.facebook.com/RebuildStatenIsland

Ship Some Supplies
For out of state people who want to help, consider shopping off of this CollegeBound Cares registry. In case you’re not aware, I work for The CollegeBound Network, so this is a legit way to help. Shipping will go to CB, and items will be directly brought to people in need.

Great Kills Cleanup
Via Nicole Malliotakis: Trying to get help to move boats from people’s property and supplies and hot meals to families in need. You can join me there OR head to Oakwood Beach (Guyon Ave and Mill Road) where we were Sunday cleaning up. Plenty of work to do so please try to bring supplies like shovels, rakes, garbage bags, gloves and just do your thing. Thank you.

—–

 

>> UPDATE, 11/4, 2:30 p.m. The massive cleanup efforts continue… here’s what’s going on, along with some new resources to keep on helping.

Urgent:

Cleanup volunteers needed at these Midland Beach locations:
Hunter off Hylan
Adams Avenue
Hull Avenue

No more clothes for now…
As per James Oddo: Thank you everyone for your generosity and willingness to help your fellow Staten Islanders. Right now, we are seeing a shift in the items that are needed. There is less of a need for food and clothing at the moment, and a much bigger need for batteries, flashlights, gloves, cleaning products, and anything else that can be used in the clean up. These items can be brought down to Miller Field next to New Dorp High School.

Spreading the Word

Meals
Hot meals for those affected by Sandy at Holy Rosary Church from 12-6 today only. 80 Jerome Avenue, 10305

Deliveries
New Dorp HS is taking phone orders if people need stuff. Then making deliveries. Call 718-667-8686 They have loads of stuff that is coming in steady and no one is picking it up.

Food, blanket and water distribution centers
The locations on Staten Island are (1) Mill Road and New Dorp Lane and (2) Father Capodano Boulevard and Hunter Avenue. These locations will be open from 1PM – 5PM.

Beyond SI

  • Sea Gate is in need of cleaning supplies. Bring to: Surf Ave and West 37th Street.
  • Volunteers and donations of outdoor brooms, shovels, work gloves, industrial dust pans: report to Boardwalk at Stillwell Avenue (9am-4pm), @ Tom’s Restaurant
  • Coney Island needs donations of hats, gloves, socks, blankets, diapers, baby food, water and non-perishable food at these dropoffs: MCU Park at Surf Ave and W 17th; W 33rd and Neptune; W 5th and Neptune Ave

 

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>> UPDATE, 11/3, 11:00 p.m. A long, exhausting but very productive day for the thousands of volunteers who literally got down and dirty today to help with the clean up efforts. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep tonight as we turn back the clocks, and get ready to get out and help tomorrow. I’m praying I can fill up my gas tank in the wee hours of the morning so I can get out and help some more, too. Goodnight, Staten Island!

General Notes
From what FB friends are sharing, there seems to be enough clothes thanks to an abundance of donations. Hang onto your clothing donations for now. I’m sure in the coming weeks, you’ll hear about neighbors and friends who need more. What’s needed most right now:

  • Food that doesn’t have to be cooked, beyond snacks.
  • Personal toiletries
  • Cleaning supplies: garbage bags, gloves, masks
  • Flashlights, batteries

More Cleanup
Volunteers will be meeting tomorrow at 599 Father Capodanno Blvd. at 9 a.m. to cleanup. Aside from extra volunteers, they need plenty of supplies: mops, disinfectant wipes (paper towels, rags, windex, etc), bleach, children’s Motrin, Batteries (especially size D), Flashlights, heavy duty garbage bags, toothbrushes, Advil, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, pens, pet food-cat and dog, diapers, baby food, baby formula, first-aid items, band aids, Ben Gay, ace bandages, and work gloves.

Collections
Mount Loretto is in need of the following: shovels, batteries, candles, flashlights, water, tape guns & tape, formula (ensure), blankets, coats, work gloves, masks, cleaning supplies, baby food, pampers, toiletries, paper goods, bins and boxes.

Free Lunch
Historic Old Bermuda Inn will be offering free lunch all next week Monday through Friday.

Beyond the Borough
In Gerritsen Beach, there will be a bus running from 1:30 to 9pm today to take people to Resurrection where Michael’s Restaurant just donated a ton of food!! The bus is a city bus (free) and will be making stops at the Cort Club, St James and the Vollies to pick people up and will be looping ALL day! There are also blankets, clothing, and toiletries for anyone who needs it.

A Rockaway Emergency Plan
Volunteer teams on Sunday will meet at St. Francis: 219 Beach 129th Street at 10 am.
One team will be our “Boots on the Ground Team.” This team will go out into the community to help residents. Wear old clothes, bring work gloves if they can and wear old shoes or rain boots. Dress warm and in layers. Wear sunglasses or other glasses if you can to protect your eyes from dust. We will have a quick meeting with a safety expert from Hurricane Katrina and then I’ll give out assignments. Look for me- Jaime Jordan Didora- on the steps of the small hall at 10 for the meeting and assignments.
The other team will help with distributing and organizing donations at St. Francis de Sales gym. That team will be organized by Nicole and Meghan Courtney. They will also have a meeting at 10 am at the gym front door.

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>>UPDATE, 11/3, 10:45 a.m.: Here’s what’s going on around Staten Island today. God bless everyone!

Collection Site
Church at the Gateway (200 Boscombe Ave) will be another collection site today in need of supplies (blankets, flashlights, food, cleanup items).

Cleaning Supplies Needed
Crossroads Church on New Dorp Lane no longer needs any clothing or food donations. However, they are still collecting brooms, gloves, trash bags, and cleaning supplies.

Getting Clean
St. Joseph’s by the Sea will be open from 12-4 p.m. today for anyone who needs a hot shower or to do laundry. They will also be a collection site and need volunteers.

Gift Card Drives
Gift cards to distribute to families and organizations in Staten Island.
Send them to:
New Dorp Christian Church, 259 Rose Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10306, Attn: Cathy Whittier.
OR
Staten Island Parent, 1200 South Avenue, Staten Island New York 10314

Gas
NYS has temporary fuel trucks The Armory 321 Manor Road Staten Island to provide free fuel to emergency vehicles and the general public. There is a 10 gallon limit per vehicle. Cars can fill up directly off of the truck. NOTE: Be careful. As of a little while ago, my husband said tensions were high, and police presence was needed to stop line cutting. If any government or law enforcement officials are reading this, please send over some help.

Monetary donations to directly benefit area victims:

https://www.tunneltotowersfoundation.org/hsrl-donate.aspx

http://www.indiegogo.com/sisandy262

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>> UPDATE, 11/2, 9:30 p.m.: Thanks so much for everyone who’s messaged me asking how they can help. If you’re from outside of Staten Island and wanting to send a care package, please send to: CollegeBound Cares, 1200 South Avenue, Ste. 202, Staten Island NY 10314. We’ll make sure items go directly to those in need.

Quick favor: As I went out today, it broke my heart to see so many weary people waiting for hours in line in front of a local laundromat, with garbage bags full of clothing. I’ve made it my personal mission to get the Tides Loads of Hope Truck to visit Staten Island. Tweet @Tide and @TideLoadsofHope, and post to their Facebook page. They made a stop in New Jersey today, which I’m sure was so appreciated by our neighbors over the bridge. But, we would love some cleanup help, too!

Here are some more efforts being put together for tomorrow. Rest up, and have a warm, safe night!

Care Packages
Anyone in need of care packages, such as first aid kits, toiletries, etc. should contact Andrea Tappin at 718-815-6560 or go to Beacon Christian Community Health Center, 2079 Forest Ave.

Many supplies are waiting to be distributed at Senator Lanza’s offices at 3845 Richmond Avenue. A lot of drop offs were made, but no one is coming to get anything because they don’t know it’s there.

Pet Help
Richmond Valley Veterinary Practice is now a central drop off location for the local animal shelters. Any type of pet food, beds, bowls or blankets will be taken, please no medication. Anything can be dropped off at Richmond Valley Veterinary Practice, 4915 Arthur Kill Road.

Clean Up Efforts
Volunteers who want to pitch in with the cleanup effort in beach communities devastated by Hurricane Sandy can meet this Saturday and Gather at the end of New Dorp Lane and Cedar Grove Avenue at 9 a.m. From there, workers will be dispatched.
Those who are unable to work the cleanup are urged to donate equipment — brooms, garbage bags, rakes, work gloves and shovels. For more information, email nysassembly 60@gmail.com.

Donations
My fitness friends at CKO Great Kills at 4255 Amboy Road are collecting nonperishable items, clothing, cleaning supplies to distribute to victims from 12 -2 p.m.. Check their Facebook page for more info.

I’ll keep the updates coming as I get them. In the meantime, check out these other  sites that are also sharing information about donation centers and clean up efforts.

http://www.siparent.com/volunteer_opportunities.php

https://statenisland.crowdmap.com/

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>> UPDATE, 11/2: Since I posted just an hour and a half ago, I’ve read about many more ways to help. I’m seriously choked up as I watch my community come together to help each other. Tragedies like this bring out the best in people. I haven’t seen this kind of compassion since 9/11. Let’s keep it up everyone! <<

St. Joseph/St. Thomas
Accepting non perishable food donations 50 Maguire Avenue

Collection
80 Marine Way at the corner of Hett has set up a donation center on their lawn. They are collecting non-perishable food, water, clothing, socks, etc.

Cleanup Effort
Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis will be holding a cleanup effort tomorrow at 9 a.m. Volunteers will be meeting at the end of New Dorp Lane and Cedar Grove Avenue. You are asked to bring whatever tools you can, such as rakes, shovels, push brooms, and work gloves.

Friends in Bay Ridge Brooklyn:
Need: Food (Bread, peanut butter, applesauce, water, fruit, cereal, cereal bars, baby formula); blankets, scarves, gloves, hats, socks, flashlights, batteries, etc
Drop off at Councilman Gentile’s Office, 8703 3rd Avenue
Also needed: DRIVERS with cars and gas willing to deliver to various locations
Call the office and speak with Sara 718-748-5200 ext 205

Dry Ice Distribution
Con Ed will continue providing dry ice, at Great Kills Park and at Mt. Sinai United Church at 15 Pike Street

MY OLQP school community:
Need: New socks- children and adult, underwear- any size, coats and gloves, blankets and comforters, pillows, jugs of water, large garbage bags, any monetary donation.
Also: Looking to form “crews” that will help our families clean up on an “as needed” basis after the destruction of Hurricane Sandy. Please email the Family Association at olqpfa@yahoo.com, for information on where items can be dropped off, and how to help.

–

New Dorp Baptist Church // New Dorp Christian Academy
Accepting donations tomorrow (Saturday) beginning at 10 a.m., and are also in need of volunteers to help sort (259 Rose Avenue).

CHURCH AT THE GATEWAY, 200 BOSCOMBE AVENUE
Clothes (socks, underwear and warm clothing), blankets, towels, food (best if non-perishable and “ready to eat”), water bottles, and…clean up equipment (brooms, work gloves, garbage bags, rakes, and shovels…

HOLY ROSARY
Clothing Donations at our Sand Lane Church (207 Sand Lane) Saturdays and Tuesday from 11 to 1. Also we will be taking donations for food at the Rectory (80 Jerome Ave) Mon to Fri. From. 9am to 8pm Sat from 9am to 6pm and Sun 9am to 1pm

FEMA
Two Disaster Recovery Centers on Staten Island today. Locations are: Miller Field and 6581 Hylan Boulevard (Mount Loretto)

CollegeBound Cares
Accepting donations at 1200 South Avenue, Staten Island, NY

Rab’s Country Lanes (1600 Hylan Blvd.)
Collecting today from 12-4 p.m.

St. Theresa School Family Guild
Hosting a Halloween fundraiser event at Party Jungle (630 Sharrotts Rd.) from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Donations for shelters and monetary donations needed.

St. Christopher (130 Midland Ave.)
Donation and help center

For OLQP/Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Victims
Need clothes, diapers, flashlights, batteries, cleaning supplies, non perishable foods.
Drop off centers:
SOUTH SHORE: 284 MACE STREET
NORTH SHORE: 63 LAFAYETTE AVENUE- SECOND FLOOR
CALL: 347-874-3364 for info

For Redhook Victims
In need of: donations of pre-prepared food (including food for children), candles, utensils such as spoons and bowls, jugs of water, flashlights, batteries, power strips, toiletries, paper towels, and paper for printing fliers. Toiletries, toothpaste, batteries, toilet paper, soft blankets (fleece, not wool) and clothes.
Dropoff: 610 Henry till 3 PM or directly to the Miccio Center located at 110 W 9th Street

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 Disclaimer: This information is just a compilation of FB and other social media postings. I cannot confirm that all of it is completely accurate.

 

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My Heart Aches Three Days After Hurricane Sandy

By Dawn Papandrea on October 31, 2012

I can’t even begin to collect my thoughts after the horror I’ve witnessed this week, but I wanted to somehow chronicle what we’ve all been going through after the largest natural disaster New York has ever seen. By the grace of God, may we never experience anything like this again.

First and foremost, I’m thankful that my family and friends are all safe, and pray for those who weren’t as lucky when Hurricane Sandy unleashed her havoc on us. For the first time in two days, I’m actually seeing TV images and stories about the devastation and it’s just surreal. Until now, Facebook has been my lifeline to the world, as it was for many of us who used up precious gas in our cars to charge up our smart phones and try our best to stay connected to loved ones.

Driving past some of the nearby neighborhoods today as I left my still-powerless home to stay with people who had electricity restored was even more heartbreaking. Damage, destruction, downed trees, and water everywhere. And I can only imagine the horror that lies down those impassable roads. Tomorrow, I’ll be going through my closets and pantry to take some things over to the local shelter because I have to do something. We all do.

Here’s a helpful link if you want to join me: https://statenisland.recovers.org/

And don’t forget to pray…

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An 8 Year Old’s Thoughts on the Election…

By Dawn Papandrea on October 25, 2012

My patriotic son, back in first grade

Apparently, my son’s class spent part of the day discussing the upcoming election, and what each candidate stands for. They will cast their class votes in a couple of weeks. Here’s what he took away from it…

“Romney wants to get rid of the bad teachers and keep only the good ones. But Obama wants to give us more homework.” I suppose that’s not an entirely bad way to summarize their views on education reform, but as a third grader with video game time on the line, he’s obviously biased.

So then I asked if he knew about other issues…

“Well, Obama wants us to buy less gas and end all wars, so I agree with him on that.” Impressive! He’s really taking this election seriously, looking at a variety of issues, which is more than I can say for many adults I know.

They even discussed the economy (or at least I think they did)…

“Romney wants to stop giving our money to people who don’t work.”  Hmm… I’m not sure if they delved into the whole 47% issue and/or entered into a debate on who should pay the most taxes. Whether or not my son’s takeaway is entirely accurate, I’m delighted at how interested he is in talking about this. I explain to him that some Americans are poor, can’t work, or can’t find a job, and that Obama and Romney disagree on the best way to help them. Now he had a lot to think about.

I watched him carefully as he really struggled with his decision, but then came the big reveal…

“Obama was good for four years, but it’s time to give someone else a turn. I’m going to vote for Romney. Besides, I don’t want extra homework.”

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When It Comes to Penn State and Jerry Sandusky, I Hate Being Right

By Dawn Papandrea on July 12, 2012

Picture this. You’re walking down a quiet street, and behind a parked car, you see a naked man – who you recognize to be a neighbor — sodomizing a young boy. You’re startled, but you decide to go home, sleep on it, and then call a friend to tell her the next day. She tells a friend, who then tells another friend. At a dinner party, you all decide that it would be best if you all kept the incident quiet to preserve the reputation of your neighborhood. You even continue making small talk with the neighbor, just so he doesn’t feel uncomfortable.

Unfathomable, isn’t it? Especially if you’re a parent, you know that you could never stand by and let something like this happen to someone’s son, just as you pray that another person wouldn’t let it happen to yours. But as you’ve probably heard by now, horrors worse than this took place on the Penn State University campus dating back to 1998. As we’ve learned with the release of the Freeh report this morning, a unanimous decision was made by Penn State bigwigs to let that animal Jerry Sandusky go about his business. There was no dissension in the ranks. No protest. No second thoughts. Not even as the stream of boys were being marched into the Penn State showers. Continue reading “When It Comes to Penn State and Jerry Sandusky, I Hate Being Right”

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F-Bombs Away: The 4th of July Edition

By Dawn Papandrea on July 5, 2012

Simpler days -- D's first 4th of July in 2009.

So yesterday, on our nation’s birthday, I f-bombed my 3 year old. OK, not to his face, but on the 76th trip up a flight of stairs into my cousin’s house to get him or his brother something (as the sweat poured off of me from the 97-but-it-feels-like-hell degree day), I had a moment I’m not proud of.

My aunt came in to report that his highness’ chicken nuggets were still cold. And I lost my cool. To give you some back story, I had just finished battling it out with him because the french fries I made him weren’t to his liking. He wanted crinkle cut, I made straight cut. His brother, the eldest heir, down in the yard at the bottom of the long staircase, was also in one of his brazen “I’m testing limits today” moods, and so he had been barking his royal orders at me, too: “Fetch me some seltzer, wench, and be sure it has plenty of ice.” OK, it was really, “mom, I asked you for seltzer five minutes ago!” but it definitely had a go-fetch-wench tone.

The rest of the day was full of changing D’s poop accidents (still working on that potty training thing!), breaking up fights over whatever toy both of them had to have at the exact same moment, and trying to get in one adult conversation without being interrupted (can you guess how that went?).

All the while, I felt like my family — whom I do truly, dearly love more than anything — was judging me. Not in the “how can you let your kids talk to you that way?” way. Or “why are you letting them run you ragged and making them a special dinner at a barbeque with numerous food options?” way. Oh no. In my family, my boys can do no wrong, and I’m the mean mom who needs to lighten up with them. Mind you, this is despite the fact that when I was growing up, I was taught to never talk back, and to suck it up if I didn’t approve of a relative’s party menu. But I digress…

I was the irresponsible one who served up the cold chicken nuggets, after all. Really, I rushed them out of the toaster oven because I’d grown tired of the nagging and whining about why they weren’t ready yet. And I was the one who forget to fetch J’s beverage, despite the fact that I was up in the house attending to his brother’s dinner, and he is perfectly capable of walking over to a cooler to help himself.

So when my aunt came in on behalf of my son to innocently question me about the temperature of the chicken nuggets, I took it in an entirely different way. I snapped, and blurted out: “Tell him to go f*** himself.” Yep, that’s just what I said, and once it slipped out of my lips, I wished I could take it back. If only I’d had a few pina coladas, I might have been more care-free. But alas, my fuse had been lit from earlier in the day, and finally, as we all awaited the fireworks, I put on a fireworks pre-show for my disapproving relatives to see. As I said, I’m not proud. I wish I can have a do-over for that one. I was just so worked up, hot, hungry (I barely had a moment to enjoy a bite or beer myself all day), and envious of everyone else that was having a grand old time while I clearly wasn’t.

Shortly after the f-bomb heard around the yard, my son left his freshly-warmed chicken nuggets in the dust to dart for the desserts being put out (yep, after all that!), and I excused myself to the bathroom to hide my tears of frustration. Please don’t misunderstand. My kids are really good and sweet most of the time. This was just one of those perfect storms of heat exhaustion, over-stimulation, spoiling relative overload, and me not being at my best.

A few minutes later, I heard my son whimpering. “What now?” I thought to myself? But then I realized that the fireworks had started and he was scared. This was no power play or bratty behavior in action — he truly needed me. At that moment, we both really just needed a hug. So I held him close and kissed him on the head, and we both said goodnight to our frightening day of fireworks.

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PG Excuses to Keep the Kids Away from Your Grown Up Entertainment

By Dawn Papandrea on June 21, 2012

There’s been an awful lot of “Mommy Porn” lately, hasn’t there? I’m not here to judge, oh no.  I’m just making an observation that pop culture is shifting a little by realizing that we gals like a little Rated R fun to be enjoyed after the kids’ bedtimes, too. Not all of it is of a sexual nature of course… sometimes it’s just really cool to be entertained by books or shows that portray strong female roles. And if we can get a little eye candy to go along with it, why not?

In any event, since kids today are both nosy and technologically savvy, there may come a day when you have to come up with a quick response if your child starts snooping around your Kindle Fire, DVR selction, or finds your movie theater ticket stubs.

So, here, I give you some PG-rated back stories for five recent pop culture phenoms to throw your kids off your trail. They’ll at least buy you enough time to  go password protect your stuff!

50 Shades of Grey  – And purple, and red, and green… basically it’s what the couch looks like after years of accumulated  juice spills, baby spit up, and marker madness. Which reminds me, go clean your room!

Game of Thrones – A noble way to describe the potty training showdown that all moms must survive. Would you be a dear and show your brother how nice you sit on the “iron throne”?

Magic Mike – I’m not sure what Sally told you her mom saw, but my movie night was a story about one parent’s quest to book the most popular and expensive birthday party magician in town.

Hung – It’s a documentary about how to get all of your laundry put away in one day. Do you want to help match up the socks?

The Walking Dead – I wouldn’t watch anything with scary zombies. It’s just a silly way to describe how moms and dads feel during those first few sleep-deprived months of parenthood (and ever since!). Hey, isn’t it past your bedtime?

There you have it! Happy reading and viewing!

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