Katie & Paul Williams, Wanamassa – Our neighbors branch fell on his electric line.
About six of us climbed on the back of a pick-up truck, on a ladder, in the pouring rain, and the wind, with a saw trying to save his line. We cut the branches out. One neighbor tore the ligaments in his hand and needed surgery because of it.
We saved the line. A half hour later all the transformers blew and we were all without electric.
It was nice to see everyone come together and help a neighbor.
Michele Bowers, Neptune – We had no electricity and we were in day 5. We were freezing and our neighbors were freezing. We went to their home.
We played Pictionary and Taboo by candlelight.
We bought things to eat and adult beverages.
We had the best time we’ve had in five years.
Good times from a bad situation.
Ed Cooper w/Bella, Shark River Hills – We were home. The most memorable aspect was how quickly the surge came into our home.
It lifted the washer, the dryer and the sofa.
It took about 15 minutes.
We saved what we could and went upstairs.
There wasn’t much we could do.
Mickey & Joe Dauber, Shark River Hills – We live on top of the Plaza in Shark River Hills. During the storm, we walked half way down the hill and saw the water in the yacht club up to the ceiling. We saw it again the next morning and it was across the street.
Ronald Davis, Sr., Asbury Park – I live right on the ocean, in Asbury Tower.
I watched it from my 7th floor window. I could see everything. It was a little scary.
We went a week without electric. I stayed inside the whole time.
Dirk Linderman, Tinton Falls & Sandy Duffy, Princeton – Dirk: In Tinton Falls, our power was out for about a week, but but we were spared the worst of it.
I volunteered along the shore, doing a little bit to help to get back on track.
It was overwhelming what people lost; the suffering.
Sandy: We brought in chain saws gangs to Neptune to remove trees from people lawns.
People were appreciative at the help and were looking forward to getting their lives back.
Lisa Fritz, Nancy Papay, Jenni Latshaw, Christina Papay & Lori Dorick – We served food on South Riverside Drive in the street for several days.
We fed everyone, it didn’t matter who. We had supplies, everyone cleaned out their pantries.
We all worked together.
Laura Granelli, Neptune – We did not evacuate. We packed suit cases. We moved our vehicles.
We did everything but leave, thinking we’d ride this thing out.
When we decided to leave, we had to swim, it was over my head, to friends on Fulton Place.
They came out and waved flashlights
It was cold and very dark.
We were up to our necks in water.
Sally & Norm Harris, Ocean Grove – For us it would be the pooling of the neighborhood resources.
We came together and helped each other.
We cooked on the gas grill for all of us – four or five families.
We pooled batteries, light, food, sleeping quarters – whatever it took to help each other.
It was a good memory of a bad storm.
Bruce Latshaw, Shark River Hills – It was when we were helping the Ladies Auxiliary out.
Amongst all the destruction, with people wandering around in semi-shock.
We called businesses in town. They bought supplies, band-aids, aspirins, diapers, whatever we needed. There were 10 foot high piles of clothing and supplies.
People went to Wegmans and spend all their own money.
Dean Nelson, Dean’s – My most vivid memory was going to Belmar and seeing the emergency relief efforts, and understanding the magnitude of the situation.
Luis Pulido, Thrifty Treasures
I would say the post storm volunteer work with the Borough of Belmar, helping people get through the aftermath. Belmar needed a lot of help.
There were thousands of volunteers who came on a weekly basis.
Working with them was both heartwarming and rewarding.
