Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)

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Minda Aguhob

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Nov 8, 2012, 8:52:02 PM11/8/12
to sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
Someone want to make a film? All of us on the ground have noticed and taken in stories from the residents, that the Red Cross is nowhere to be seen.
The thread below is from the American Red Cross in Greater NY Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/redcrossny.
Wow. 
So many unmet, immediate needs not being met by Red Cross - but, being met by regular New Yorkers. Like us.

RED CROSS YOU ARE USING FAKE NAMES AND PROFILES ON FACEBOOK. WHAT ARE YOU HIDING! THE #FBI and Governor Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo need to start watching what you are doing. You keep posting all this activity online, taking in Millions like Haiti and VERY LITTLE IS BEING DONE IN NY AND NJ! IT IS TIME TO SPEND THE MONEY!
Unlike ·  · Tuesday at 2:30pm near New York
  • You and 2 others like this.
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles wow. that is so incredibly rude to me and the other volunteers who have been sending help links out before and after the storm, staying up all night for days to answer distress signals.
  • Glen Kinnaird Then have a real facebook profile like the rest of us. I know those helping are working hard, I am not that mean. I tried to sign up to volunteer to help you, but was rejected or fell through the cracks. Why are all your facebook profiles not real?
  • Glen Kinnaird I was sending out your links all day on Twitter to let people know how to find your trucks and you shut me down. I only wanted to help, but people kept telling me your trucks were no where in sight.
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles i can assure you i'm real
  • Glen Kinnaird Then why do all three profiles for Red Cross workers (like yourself) who have contacted me about my efforts to help your Org all look the same? You have no friends, you won't let people friend or message you? It is very Odd, sorry.
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, maybe the amount of internet traffic on an grid in distress slowed the processing of your internet application down.
  • Glen Kinnaird Plus, you are not addressing the claims that Red Cross is out there working, we see that. However, why are so many people posting you are not in locations where you show there is a truck?
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles thank you for posting and tweeting the erv sighting, that is really all anyone should care about right now
  • Glen Kinnaird Look, I don't need to work for you to help you. I can send messages to you through facebook and twitter like I did all day yesterday. Just tell me where I can find out how many trucks are in NY and NJ and how do I show people online how to find a truck? The twitter postings are not cutting it.
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles while you have been so busy bashing us on facebook this morning, i helped a young lady who care about a little girl in the country of georgia find help to get a rare blood transfusion.
  • Glen Kinnaird Well, I have a degree in Public Relations, you should care about your image in this campaign. People are complaining they are not seeing Red Cross and FEMA. Do you have plans to bring in more workers? What is your plan? Where can we see your plan?
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles as well as erv locations in coney island and the rockaways, as i have done every day all day since landfall, before this i was alerting all my friends and their friends of the eminent danger of the storm and to make their plans and get ready
  • Glen Kinnaird Are you the only one in that HUGE charity that is over ALL COMMUNICATIONS? Working with Logistics during the 1996 Olympic games, there were more people overseeing communications than are working on this relief effort here in NY and NJ and we didn't have 200 Million Dollars to work with either. I just want to know why we are NOT SEEING RED ALL OVER THE PLACE FOR $200 MILLION DOLLARS!
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, every event is different just in sheer nature of natural disaster, this is why we train all year long, to gather and educate volunteers so they will understand and be prepared. we have never hidden anything from the public. it's regrettable that your interest in helping has come after such a large disaster.
  • Glen Kinnaird I am talking to people in all the areas where you are posting as locations of your activity. Do you want to explain why Kristin Blazey can't find a Red Cross truck on Staten Island?
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles the American Red Cross's mission is to alleviate human suffering and advocate "Get a kit, make a plan!" all year long. no matter what.
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles now, if you are still interested in volunteering, be patient with the incredible amount of volume of traffic in the easts already compromised grid and re submit your application. the lines were so busy even three days ago, when i made my own text doantion it took three tries
  • Kristin Blazey I have been all over Staten Island for days delivering pies courtesy of donations from across the country and havent seen a truck yet.. I find that ODD!
  • Glen Kinnaird So you are telling me it is "MY" fault that I did not volunteer sooner to help an Organization that just took in $200 Million Dollars? There were more people working on the ING MARATHON and THAT IS NOT AN EMERGENCY. DO NOT try to make this MY FAULT. I was already helping you where I thought I saw a need. Someone needs to be the WATCH DOG for GIANT RICH Charities that Take IN MILLIONS and don't show how the money is flowing out.
  • Glen Kinnaird THAT IS IT! I am going to get a Grass Roots group of Film Makers and WE are going to FIND RED CROSS in NY and NJ!
  • Glen Kinnaird THEN we are going to count the trucks and KEEP YOU ACCOUNTABLE!
  • Kristin Blazey LOVE THAT Glen Kinnaird !!!!!!!! =) Tell em!
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles i do not mind taking abuse form someone in the rockaways who is desperately hungry and cold, but i most certainly do mind someone who has never bothered to learn one thing about the red cross before Sandy hit and this insane rumor mill got started and is warm and safe in their home coming here to bash us while we answer distress calls
  • Glen Kinnaird So, you had 5 workers at Queens College last night. Good for you. That's a +5 in your favor and minus 5 for #Sandy. Thank You!
  • Glen Kinnaird Go then, keep working.
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles lol tone is hard to decipher on here, i hope you are wishing me well cause i really do want to get this food to people
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, i will have to go to class in about thirty minutes and be off line for several hours. it would be most helpful if you continued to post and tweet erv sightings while i'm gone. several other volunteers will be coming in from other girds around the country and globe to keep up communications as best we can.
  • Benjamin Antonio I haven't seen them either They have the media backing them its all smoking mirrors...take a picture post it in the media and you're done. 100 million gone!
  • Benjamin Antonio Very Sad.. if they really wanna help give some money or at least half to contractors to start cleaning up bringing in dumpsters and cleaning up the mess.. that's where you start. food is being giving out by everyone from what ive seen and they didn't raise 100 million to volunteer
  • Benjamin Antonio donate to these guys...
  • Benjamin Antonio they dont post pics of themselves helping others and yes they ahve profiles
  • Natalie Pellegrino Red Cross doesn't post pics of themselves helping others either, cause they aren't...they showed Eli Manning, and showed two little adorable girls giving them wads of cash, but you know what I don't see any workers anywhere on the Island. Such a scam, and if any one tries to bullshit, don't bother, as I am OUT THERE and don't see your asses anywhere. 200 million dollar dollars in a week and no one has seen you? yeah pretty fuckin ridiculous.
  • Michael Oman-Reagan Hey Glen - A lot of people don't understand how the volunteer process with Red Cross works. Folks who sign up now are spontaneous volunteers, not regular volunteers. Regular volunteers who sign up prior to a disaster like this are interviewed and attend many complex, long training sessions to learn all the things you need to know in order to manage a shelter with thousands of residents, or coordinate Emergency Response Vehicle feeding operations. over 90% of the people who work for Red Cross are volunteers, highly trained volunteers who are mobilized in response to situations like this. Those of us who sign up during a disaster are a different pool of folks who are called up if needed. At the moment, I suspect that you're not hearing back from Red Cross because they have reached their capacity for staffing - it takes lots of hours of work to process volunteers, to do the background checks, etc. I'm sorry that none of this volunteer process was explained - but you can read more about it all on the web site, if you read all the information there. If you have questions, feel free to write to me, I'm not with the Red Cross, although I have done spontaneous volunteer work with them and plan to do more training in the future. Thanks for being concerned - just try not to attack folks who are working for free, volunteering and doing their best to be helpful!
  • Glen Kinnaird Hey Michael, My sister-in-law works with World Vision, so I get that I can't jump in there. I was upset to learn the $500 million coming into Red Cross for Sandy is being spread over 10 states. Yes, this sounds reasonable, however try explaining that to someone here in Staten Island who goes to a location Red Cross tweets, then there is no truck at this location. Red Cross is putting out information that is not true or accurate, this makes it seem like FRAUD or a SCAM. No one is policing these Non-Profits to make sure they are being responsible. I know Red Cross has been doing this since the Civil War. Many of my family members where involved in Red Cross for many generations, I am sure. This message strand with this individual was one of three. Every profile that contacted me from RED CROSS had a FAKE LOOKING PROFILE! No friends, no way to friend them. Don't you think that it STRANGE? Don't you see the need for MORE Transparency? Several times leaders with this Organization have been brought up on Charges for FRAUD. These people need help and they are not getting it. That is WHY I am really angry. Yes, I only gave $20, but so did millions of hard working AMERICANS. Do you realize how easy it would be for us to just sit back, the money dribbles out and YET AGAIN another LARGE Charity gets away with the LOOT? I have seen this in the Non-Profit sector within the GAY COMMUNITY and AIDS while living in Atlanta, GA. I know corruption happens, I have seen it first hand. Am I trying to be a Super Hero? NO! I just wanted to help them by telling people where the FREAKIN TRUCKS are located. Then I start getting messages that THERE ARE NO TRUCKS AT THESE LOCATIONS!!!! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!!
  • Natalie Pellegrino and why are they giving away all these hot meals? The community is feeding the volunteers...send the hot meals to the shelters for the people who really need it!! Why arent they going to the shelters and giving them supplies?
  • Glen Kinnaird 5:05 p - Seaford, NY - #RedCross Emergency Response Vehicle 2151 is at Cedar Creek Park. Serving hot meals.
  • Glen Kinnaird Michael, the NY RED CROSS ADDITIONAL TASK FORCE IS LOCATED INSIDE TRADEWEB? An ONLINE TRADING COMPANY? THAT IS THE ONLY SPACE A MILLION DOLLAR NONPROFIT CAN FIND? REALLY?
  • Natalie Pellegrino BILLION dollar non-profit organization BILLION.
  • Glen Kinnaird Oops, I was trying to not make them out to be a TOTAL MONSTER!

ray alba

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Nov 8, 2012, 9:16:50 PM11/8/12
to Minda Aguhob, sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
And this is what I wrote to the ARC today..

I would like to know why the Red Cross isn't actively recruiting people from NYC.. Why aren't your paid staff coordinating with all the momentum this city has right now? Seriously coordinate with the groups and recruit from NYC.. People are here waiting for you to tell them where to go. Instead they are coming to us. Go door to door. Canvas and see what the needs are. You have the means to do this and the MONEY which we don't have. Also the access to intelligence. Your volunteers are NOBLE but you don't need disaster tourist here. YOU DON'T. This area has the HIGHEST density of Doctors, Therapist, Construction Workers, heck you name it - PEOPLE than anywhere else in the US. So please STOP SHOWING ME SOMEONE FROM MISSISSIPPI, FLORIDA OR TEXAS. Great they are here - but, you can have SO MANY MORE PEOPLE on the ground if you mobilize them and persuade them to join your efforts.
Doesn't take much.
Other things you should do, is be sure that your people go door to door.
Ray

From: Minda Aguhob <mag...@gmail.com>
To: sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:52 PM
Subject: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)

--
 
 


joseph.bachana

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Nov 8, 2012, 9:19:12 PM11/8/12
to Minda Aguhob, "", laura...@gmail.com
Thanks for this information, Minda. I had been posting to the generic Red Cross Twitter account last week, was quite surprised at how little tweeting that account was doing before, during or after Hurricane Sandy.

Laura Egan is trying to work this out, she needs the funding to put the film crew together to get this done professionally. She notes she could get this done with $5,000 and says she would not take any money for her time on the project. She is also trying to enlist celebrities to walk-through the communities, with Steve Buscemi potentially on board as well as a few others.

The thought of tying this kind of social #EPICFAIL of ARC and FEMA in with a narrated walk-through of the destroyed communities, some interviews of victims, then some well-regarded celebrities weighing in, could make a huge impact.

We want to make sure we're not doing this just to bash 'The Man' - I'd feel good if we had an investigative reporter in the mix with us looking into what is really going on in the inner sancta of ARC and FEMA. Incompetence? Just poor operational 'spin up' with each unique catastrophe (unique in geographical, post-weather, transportation, infrastructure, safety, etc challenges)? Or really are the two agencies (the govt one and the NFP one) fattened and overbureaucratic such that they have lost their meaning and usefulness? Wouldn't that make Mitt Romney right, in the case of the latter? The point is, do we need more negativity at this point, or do we just want to hasten the solution to these suffering victims' insurmountable and mounting problems?

In the end, a short film shouldn't be about a Michael Moore expos�. To me, it should be about people mustering up enough collective ire to let Bloomberg, Cuomo, and Obama know that they must put intense pressure on LIPA, FEMA! (if deemed relevant and competent to do so), and other relevant organizations to get heat, hot water, street cleanup, temporary housing/shelter (yes, we hear the mobile homes are coming), and an abundance of security/law enforcement in the region to return these New Yorkers dignity, safety, and comfort to a level that they deserve.

-Joe Bachana


-------Original Message-------
From: Minda Aguhob
To: sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)
Sent: Nov 08 '12 20:52

Someone want to make a film? All of us on the ground have noticed and taken in stories from the residents, that the Red Cross is nowhere to be seen.
The thread below is from the American Red Cross in Greater NY Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/redcrossny.
Wow. 
So many unmet, immediate needs not being met by Red Cross - but, being met by regular New Yorkers. Like us.

RED CROSS YOU ARE USING FAKE NAMES AND PROFILES ON FACEBOOK. WHAT ARE YOU HIDING! THE #FBI and Governor Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo need to start watching what you are doing. You keep posting all this activity online, taking in Millions like Haiti and VERY LITTLE IS BEING DONE IN NY AND NJ! IT IS TIME TO SPEND THE MONEY!
Unlike �  � Tuesday at 2:30pm near New York
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles wow. that is so incredibly rude to me and the other volunteers who have been sending help links out before and after the storm, staying up all night for days to answer distress signals.
  • Glen Kinnaird Then have a real facebook profile like the rest of us. I know those helping are working hard, I am not that mean. I tried to sign up to volunteer to help you, but was rejected or fell through the cracks. Why are all your facebook profiles not real?
  • Glen Kinnaird I was sending out your links all day on Twitter to let people know how to find your trucks and you shut me down. I only wanted to help, but people kept telling me your trucks were no where in sight.
  • Glen Kinnaird Then why do all three profiles for Red Cross workers (like yourself) who have contacted me about my efforts to help your Org all look the same? You have no friends, you won't let people friend or message you? It is very Odd, sorry.
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, maybe the amount of internet traffic on an grid in distress slowed the processing of your internet application down.
  • Glen Kinnaird Plus, you are not addressing the claims that Red Cross is out there working, we see that. However, why are so many people posting you are not in locations where you show there is a truck?
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles thank you for posting and tweeting the erv sighting, that is really all anyone should care about right now
  • Glen Kinnaird Look, I don't need to work for you to help you. I can send messages to you through facebook and twitter like I did all day yesterday. Just tell me where I can find out how many trucks are in NY and NJ and how do I show people online how to find a truck? The twitter postings are not cutting it.
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles while you have been so busy bashing us on facebook this morning, i helped a young lady who care about a little girl in the country of georgia find help to get a rare blood transfusion.
  • Glen Kinnaird Well, I have a degree in Public Relations, you should care about your image in this campaign. People are complaining they are not seeing Red Cross and FEMA. Do you have plans to bring in more workers? What is your plan? Where can we see your plan?
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles as well as erv locations in coney island and the rockaways, as i have done every day all day since landfall, before this i was alerting all my friends and their friends of the eminent danger of the storm and to make their plans and get ready
  • Glen Kinnaird Are you the only one in that HUGE charity that is over ALL COMMUNICATIONS? Working with Logistics during the 1996 Olympic games, there were more people overseeing communications than are working on this relief effort here in NY and NJ and we didn't have 200 Million Dollars to work with either. I just want to know why we are NOT SEEING RED ALL OVER THE PLACE FOR $200 MILLION DOLLARS!
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, every event is different just in sheer nature of natural disaster, this is why we train all year long, to gather and educate volunteers so they will understand and be prepared. we have never hidden anything from the public. it's regrettable that your interest in helping has come after such a large disaster.
  • Glen Kinnaird I am talking to people in all the areas where you are posting as locations of your activity. Do you want to explain why Kristin Blazey can't find a Red Cross truck on Staten Island?
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles the American Red Cross's mission is to alleviate human suffering and advocate "Get a kit, make a plan!" all year long. no matter what.
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles now, if you are still interested in volunteering, be patient with the incredible amount of volume of traffic in the easts already compromised grid and re submit your application. the lines were so busy even three days ago, when i made my own text doantion it took three tries
  • Kristin Blazey I have been all over Staten Island for days delivering pies courtesy of donations from across the country and havent seen a truck yet.. I find that ODD!
  • Glen Kinnaird So you are telling me it is "MY" fault that I did not volunteer sooner to help an Organization that just took in $200 Million Dollars? There were more people working on the ING MARATHON and THAT IS NOT AN EMERGENCY. DO NOT try to make this MY FAULT. I was already helping you where I thought I saw a need. Someone needs to be the WATCH DOG for GIANT RICH Charities that Take IN MILLIONS and don't show how the money is flowing out.
  • Glen Kinnaird THEN we are going to count the trucks and KEEP YOU ACCOUNTABLE!
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles i do not mind taking abuse form someone in the rockaways who is desperately hungry and cold, but i most certainly do mind someone who has never bothered to learn one thing about the red cross before Sandy hit and this insane rumor mill got started and is warm and safe in their home coming here to bash us while we answer distress calls
  • Glen Kinnaird So, you had 5 workers at Queens College last night. Good for you. That's a +5 in your favor and minus 5 for #Sandy. Thank You!
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles lol tone is hard to decipher on here, i hope you are wishing me well cause i really do want to get this food to people
  • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, i will have to go to class in about thirty minutes and be off line for several hours. it would be most helpful if you continued to post and tweet erv sightings while i'm gone. several other volunteers will be coming in from other girds around the country and globe to keep up communications as best we can.
  • Benjamin Antonio I haven't seen them either They have the media backing them its all smoking mirrors...take a picture post it in the media and you're done. 100 million gone!
  • Benjamin Antonio Very Sad.. if they really wanna help give some money or at least half to contractors to start cleaning up bringing in dumpsters and cleaning up the mess.. that's where you start. food is being giving out by everyone from what ive seen and they didn't raise 100 million to volunteer
  • Benjamin Antonio they dont post pics of themselves helping others and yes they ahve profiles
  • Natalie Pellegrino Red Cross doesn't post pics of themselves helping others either, cause they aren't...they showed Eli Manning, and showed two little adorable girls giving them wads of cash, but you know what I don't see any workers anywhere on the Island. Such a scam, and if any one tries to bullshit, don't bother, as I am OUT THERE and don't see your asses anywhere. 200 million dollar dollars in a week and no one has seen you? yeah pretty fuckin ridiculous.
  • Michael Oman-Reagan Hey Glen - A lot of people don't understand how the volunteer process with Red Cross works. Folks who sign up now are spontaneous volunteers, not regular volunteers. Regular volunteers who sign up prior to a disaster like this are interviewed and attend many complex, long training sessions to learn all the things you need to know in order to manage a shelter with thousands of residents, or coordinate Emergency Response Vehicle feeding operations. over 90% of the people who work for Red Cross are volunteers, highly trained volunteers who are mobilized in response to situations like this. Those of us who sign up during a disaster are a different pool of folks who are called up if needed. At the moment, I suspect that you're not hearing back from Red Cross because they have reached their capacity for staffing - it takes lots of hours of work to process volunteers, to do the background checks, etc. I'm sorry that none of this volunteer process was explained - but you can read more about it all on the web site, if you read all the information there. If you have questions, feel free to write to me, I'm not with the Red Cross, although I have done spontaneous volunteer work with them and plan to do more training in the future. Thanks for being concerned - just try not to attack folks who are working for free, volunteering and doing their best to be helpful!
  • Glen Kinnaird Hey Michael, My sister-in-law works with World Vision, so I get that I can't jump in there. I was upset to learn the $500 million coming into Red Cross for Sandy is being spread over 10 states. Yes, this sounds reasonable, however try explaining that to someone here in Staten Island who goes to a location Red Cross tweets, then there is no truck at this location. Red Cross is putting out information that is not true or accurate, this makes it seem like FRAUD or a SCAM. No one is policing these Non-Profits to make sure they are being responsible. I know Red Cross has been doing this since the Civil War. Many of my family members where involved in Red Cross for many generations, I am sure. This message strand with this individual was one of three. Every profile that contacted me from RED CROSS had a FAKE LOOKING PROFILE! No friends, no way to friend them. Don't you think that it STRANGE? Don't you see the need for MORE Transparency? Several times leaders with this Organization have been brought up on Charges for FRAUD. These people need help and they are not getting it. That is WHY I am really angry. Yes, I only gave $20, but so did millions of hard working AMERICANS. Do you realize how easy it would be for us to just sit back, the money dribbles out and YET AGAIN another LARGE Charity gets away with the LOOT? I have seen this in the Non-Profit sector within the GAY COMMUNITY and AIDS while living in Atlanta, GA. I know corruption happens, I have seen it first hand. Am I trying to be a Super Hero? NO! I just wanted to help them by telling people where the FREAKIN TRUCKS are located. Then I start getting messages that THERE ARE NO TRUCKS AT THESE LOCATIONS!!!! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!!
  • Natalie Pellegrino and why are they giving away all these hot meals? The community is feeding the volunteers...send the hot meals to the shelters for the people who really need it!! Why arent they going to the shelters and giving them supplies?
  • Glen Kinnaird 5:05 p - Seaford, NY - #RedCross Emergency Response Vehicle 2151 is at Cedar Creek Park. Serving hot meals.
  • Glen Kinnaird Michael, the NY RED CROSS ADDITIONAL TASK FORCE IS LOCATED INSIDE TRADEWEB? An ONLINE TRADING COMPANY? THAT IS THE ONLY SPACE A MILLION DOLLAR NONPROFIT CAN FIND? REALLY?
  • Glen Kinnaird Oops, I was trying to not make them out to be a TOTAL MONSTER!


ray alba

unread,
Nov 8, 2012, 9:21:04 PM11/8/12
to joseph.bachana, Minda Aguhob, "", laura...@gmail.com
The ARC just raised 200 million dollars. 25 million on the GMA show - and like I said - I feel duped by them.

Kickstarter - 

Ray

From: joseph.bachana <joseph....@databasepublish.com>
To: Minda Aguhob <mag...@gmail.com>; """" <sandy-re...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: laura...@gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, November 8, 2012 9:19 PM
Subject: Re: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)

Thanks for this information, Minda. I had been posting to the generic Red Cross Twitter account last week, was quite surprised at how little tweeting that account was doing before, during or after Hurricane Sandy.

Laura Egan is trying to work this out, she needs the funding to put the film crew together to get this done professionally. She notes she could get this done with $5,000 and says she would not take any money for her time on the project. She is also trying to enlist celebrities to walk-through the communities, with Steve Buscemi potentially on board as well as a few others.

The thought of tying this kind of social #EPICFAIL of ARC and FEMA in with a narrated walk-through of the destroyed communities, some interviews of victims, then some well-regarded celebrities weighing in, could make a huge impact.

We want to make sure we're not doing this just to bash 'The Man' - I'd feel good if we had an investigative reporter in the mix with us looking into what is really going on in the inner sancta of ARC and FEMA. Incompetence? Just poor operational 'spin up' with each unique catastrophe (unique in geographical, post-weather, transportation, infrastructure, safety, etc challenges)? Or really are the two agencies (the govt one and the NFP one) fattened and overbureaucratic such that they have lost their meaning and usefulness? Wouldn't that make Mitt Romney right, in the case of the latter? The point is, do we need more negativity at this point, or do we just want to hasten the solution to these suffering victims' insurmountable and mounting problems?

In the end, a short film shouldn't be about a Michael Moore exposé. To me, it should be about people mustering up enough collective ire to let Bloomberg, Cuomo, and Obama know that they must put intense pressure on LIPA, FEMA! (if deemed relevant and competent to do so), and other relevant organizations to get heat, hot water, street cleanup, temporary housing/shelter (yes, we hear the mobile homes are coming), and an abundance of security/law enforcement in the region to return these New Yorkers dignity, safety, and comfort to a level that they deserve.
--
 
 


Aaron Marks

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Nov 8, 2012, 10:08:31 PM11/8/12
to sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
Funny you should mention. Just had a convo about this. Three things...

1)  I have a friend tagging along w me making a mini-documentary. It's more about the heroes than the villains, however.

2)  The Red Cross actually does have a presence, albeit in a bizarre form. They are using 4 Red Cross vehicles as food trucks. Conversations w a low-level Red Cross employee revealed that this is the only presence he knows of in the Rockaways. Unsure of their activity elsewhere.

3)  There is a severe and debilitating breakdown in communication between City Hall and the volunteer organizations that are in the Rockaways. VOAD is a National-, State- and City-level org whose primary purpose is to bridge this gap. To my observation, they have been ineffective. I am working with them and the mayor's office to do build this bridge.

Anyway, the work you guys are doing individually is phenomenal. And they can't get enough volunteers! However, I would encourage you to work through and handful of organizations who already have a decent lay of the land and are coordinating to reduce redundant efforts.

These organizations include:

-  Team Rubicon: primarily demolition and removal of obstruction, located at St. Francis de Sales
-  St. Francis de Sales: sorting and distribution of supplies
-  Occupy: various tasks, newcomers meet at St Jacobi Church in Sunset Park Brooklyn (if on island, B 113th Street & Rockaway Beach Blvd)

A note to the wise: There are many volunteers descending on the Rockaways this weekend. If you intend to join (and you should), parking will be difficult so please find a way to carpool.

ray alba

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Nov 8, 2012, 10:27:32 PM11/8/12
to Aaron Marks, sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
Thanks for the intel. 



From: Aaron Marks <aaron...@gmail.com>
To: sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Thursday, November 8, 2012 10:08 PM

Subject: Re: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)
--
 
 


ray alba

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Nov 8, 2012, 10:29:44 PM11/8/12
to Aaron Marks, sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
Well I posted this on my wall. Just frustrated at ARC. Not the volunteers... The org communication, recruitment and leaders.


I am amazed by the people and their volunteerism - clearly making up where the American Red Cross is failing. This is not to bash the American Red Cross Volunteer but, to really be critical of the organization that just raised 200 million dollars post Sandy, yet really are falling short in doing their job. Recruiting, organizing and helping people stay alive. 

You see, the ARC is about providing shelter and basic needs, however, as most that I have talked to on the scene have said, they are not there or have not seen them. And when the ARC is on the scene, they never send enough resources or who they said lacks the leadership to help orchestrate the masses of people already volunteering on their own free will, on their own nickel, to fill in this awful gap of the ARC.

So what you have is an organization that has inadequate leadership, inadequate capability to organize, inadequate structure, and offers inadequate services and they just raised 200 million! Again, this is not against the volunteer this is against the leadership of this agency, an agency that is supposed to provide basic needs and resources.

This is part of the reason why I and many others today started groups as we have heard and seen this issue. Of course the ARC says, we are overwhelmed by the scale of this storm or that we don't have enough resources. I call BUNK on this.

If you go to their Facebook page and their website you will notice that they are showcasing volunteers from other states helping with Sandy. Mind you, these are states like PA, OH, VT, OR MA. These are volunteers from FL, TX, MS, AL and then I figured out why the ARC doesn't have enough volunteers. They are recruiting them and sending them up here from other states. Obviously, this really upset me but, I wasn't upset at the people coming up. I was upset or rather pissed at the ARC. I mean, this is the NEW YORK METRO AREA. Which when I last checked was the densest and most populated area in the country. I mean, tomorrow they could have tens of thousands of volunteers alone helping. Somehow they just can't seem to do it. Yet, groups like mine, the Occupy movement, and dozens of others seem to. 

ARC, this is not disaster tourism. You can recruit from this backyard as the damage largely effected our coast. We have tens thousands of doctors, lawyers, legal assistants, counselors, nurses, and loving people ready to help. Yet, you turn them away. Your reason; your are overwhelmed. BUNK. Tell the other groups this. 

So if the ARC can't leverage the resources through its own recruitment then why can't it coordinate and help these other groups like mine. Or individuals like Mike and Lisa DellaVecchia who make the drive up from Philadelphia and are there now, in the dark, in the projects of Rockaway helping elderly people. Lisa at home, worried about her husband, his safety. Why is it guys like Mike there without the support of the ARC or FEMA? 

The ARC has to leverage our power, our resources, our talent as I tell you there are so many talented people willing to and that are helping now. Also, you should provide us with resources such as information, food, and access to your funds, provided we can make legitimate claims. You just raised 200 million so, why not give groups like ours access to your things; especially since you are not doing your job in recruiting and mobilizing volunteers and your paid leaders to these affected areas. Areas where there is such extreme hardship, so much so that I am willing to bet there will be premature deaths based on your inadequate response to this crisis.

From: Aaron Marks <aaron...@gmail.com>
To: sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Thursday, November 8, 2012 10:08 PM
Subject: Re: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)

--
 
 


Jennifer Benepe

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Nov 8, 2012, 10:50:53 PM11/8/12
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Guys
this seems worthy of an article.
Quick question I know I should know this, but who is ARC?
Jen

Jennifer Benepe jbe...@msn.com

Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2012 19:29:44 -0800
From: ralb...@yahoo.com

Subject: Re: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)
--
 
 

jianca lazarus

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Nov 8, 2012, 10:55:12 PM11/8/12
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Arc- American red cross...

--
 
 



--
Jianca Lazarus
Art Production Supervisor
Victoria Secret Fashion Show 2012
Done and Dusted Inc
146, West 29th St
Suite 4W
New York, NY 10001
T: 646.382.5119
jianca lazarus | * photographer | 646 382 5119 | jia...@jiancalazarus.com | jiancalazarus.com

*ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS DOCUMENT IS CONFIDENTIAL, AND IS
THE PROPERTY OF JIANCA LAZARUS. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN MAY NOT
BE REPRODUCED, RETRANSMITTED OR PUBLISHED WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN
AUTHORIZATION FROM JIANCA LAZARUS. COPYRIGHT 2012 - JIANCA LAZARUS.

Jennifer Benepe

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Nov 8, 2012, 11:46:30 PM11/8/12
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Who wrote the position below, is that Ray, or you Jianca? Or Aaron?
It seems to be quite reasonable an expectation.
jen 

Jennifer Benepe jbe...@msn.com

Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2012 22:55:12 -0500

Subject: Re: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)

Jennifer Benepe

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Nov 8, 2012, 11:55:48 PM11/8/12
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I am your "investigative reporter," though I don't write for a big mag. Maybe it can be pitched by me to one of the big magazines. Or i can produce it on my own site, BUt you need to be sure about what you are saying before I do this. Support comes in many ways.
as far as videographers are concerned I know how to produce and know some people who can film, and i can edit. Is this needed?  or do you just want this pitched to a major outlet?

Jennifer Benepe jbe...@msn.com

From: joseph....@databasepublish.com
To: mag...@gmail.com; sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
CC: laura...@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2012 21:19:12 -0500


Thanks for this information, Minda. I had been posting to the generic Red Cross Twitter account last week, was quite surprised at how little tweeting that account was doing before, during or after Hurricane Sandy.

Laura Egan is trying to work this out, she needs the funding to put the film crew together to get this done professionally. She notes she could get this done with $5,000 and says she would not take any money for her time on the project. She is also trying to enlist celebrities to walk-through the communities, with Steve Buscemi potentially on board as well as a few others.

The thought of tying this kind of social #EPICFAIL of ARC and FEMA in with a narrated walk-through of the destroyed communities, some interviews of victims, then some well-regarded celebrities weighing in, could make a huge impact.

We want to make sure we're not doing this just to bash 'The Man' - I'd feel good if we had an investigative reporter in the mix with us looking into what is really going on in the inner sancta of ARC and FEMA. Incompetence? Just poor operational 'spin up' with each unique catastrophe (unique in geographical, post-weather, transportation, infrastructure, safety, etc challenges)? Or really are the two agencies (the govt one and the NFP one) fattened and overbureaucratic such that they have lost their meaning and usefulness? Wouldn't that make Mitt Romney right, in the case of the latter? The point is, do we need more negativity at this point, or do we just want to hasten the solution to these suffering victims' insurmountable and mounting problems?

In the end, a short film shouldn't be about a Michael Moore exposé. To me, it should be about people mustering up enough collective ire to let Bloomberg, Cuomo, and Obama know that they must put intense pressure on LIPA, FEMA! (if deemed relevant and competent to do so), and other relevant organizations to get heat, hot water, street cleanup, temporary housing/shelter (yes, we hear the mobile homes are coming), and an abundance of security/law enforcement in the region to return these New Yorkers dignity, safety, and comfort to a level that they deserve.
--
 
 

James Wilson

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Nov 8, 2012, 11:58:08 PM11/8/12
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Folks,
We saw this exact same behavior by ARC in post-quake Haiti.  I was so angry I traveled to Washington DC with Sean Penn and sat in front of their Executive Director to ask them what the hell happened to all of the donations US citizens gave them.  We got no logical response, and they were never held accountable.  Now you are saying the same thing has happened here.  This is frustrating to say the least.


James M. Wilson V, M.D.

Delta Pediatrics
Delta County Memorial Hospital
-and-
Chief of Station
Ascel Bio National Infectious Disease Forecast Center

Founder & Managing Partner
Ascel Bio LLC

--    

Jennifer Benepe

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Nov 9, 2012, 12:10:50 AM11/9/12
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this was the only mention on Red cross twitter of their presence on Breezy Point

3:30 p - Queens, NY - #RedCross Emergency Response Vehicle 2190 is on Breezy Point distributing 260 hot meals.



All other tweets were from other locations. 

Are they claiming to be there in greater numbers? 

They may be spending more time in NJ....and other locations.


Jennifer Benepe jbe...@msn.com

Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2012 19:08:31 -0800
From: aaron...@gmail.com
To: sandy-re...@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)

Funny you should mention. Just had a convo about this. Three things...

1)  I have a friend tagging along w me making a mini-documentary. It's more about the heroes than the villains, however.

2)  The Red Cross actually does have a presence, albeit in a bizarre form. They are using 4 Red Cross vehicles as food trucks. Conversations w a low-level Red Cross employee revealed that this is the only presence he knows of in the Rockaways. Unsure of their activity elsewhere.

3)  There is a severe and debilitating breakdown in communication between City Hall and the volunteer organizations that are in the Rockaways. VOAD is a National-, State- and City-level org whose primary purpose is to bridge this gap. To my observation, they have been ineffective. I am working with them and the mayor's office to do build this bridge.

Anyway, the work you guys are doing individually is phenomenal. And they can't get enough volunteers! However, I would encourage you to work through and handful of organizations who already have a decent lay of the land and are coordinating to reduce redundant efforts.

These organizations include:

-  Team Rubicon: primarily demolition and removal of obstruction, located at St. Francis de Sales
-  St. Francis de Sales: sorting and distribution of supplies
-  Occupy: various tasks, newcomers meet at St Jacobi Church in Sunset Park Brooklyn (if on island, B 113th Street & Rockaway Beach Blvd)

A note to the wise: There are many volunteers descending on the Rockaways this weekend. If you intend to join (and you should), parking will be difficult so please find a way to carpool.


On Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:52:02 PM UTC-5, Minda Aguhob wrote:
Someone want to make a film? All of us on the ground have noticed and taken in stories from the residents, that the Red Cross is nowhere to be seen.
The thread below is from the American Red Cross in Greater NY Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/redcrossny.
Wow. 
So many unmet, immediate needs not being met by Red Cross - but, being met by regular New Yorkers. Like us.

RED CROSS YOU ARE USING FAKE NAMES AND PROFILES ON FACEBOOK. WHAT ARE YOU HIDING! THE #FBI and Governor Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo need to start watching what you are doing. You keep posting all this activity online, taking in Millions like Haiti and VERY LITTLE IS BEING DONE IN NY AND NJ! IT IS TIME TO SPEND THE MONEY!
Unlike ï؟½  ï؟½ Tuesday at 2:30pm near New York
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles wow. that is so incredibly rude to me and the other volunteers who have been sending help links out before and after the storm, staying up all night for days to answer distress signals.
    • Glen Kinnaird Then have a real facebook profile like the rest of us. I know those helping are working hard, I am not that mean. I tried to sign up to volunteer to help you, but was rejected or fell through the cracks. Why are all your facebook profiles not real?
    • Glen Kinnaird I was sending out your links all day on Twitter to let people know how to find your trucks and you shut me down. I only wanted to help, but people kept telling me your trucks were no where in sight.
    • Glen Kinnaird Then why do all three profiles for Red Cross workers (like yourself) who have contacted me about my efforts to help your Org all look the same? You have no friends, you won't let people friend or message you? It is very Odd, sorry.
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, maybe the amount of internet traffic on an grid in distress slowed the processing of your internet application down.
    • Glen Kinnaird Plus, you are not addressing the claims that Red Cross is out there working, we see that. However, why are so many people posting you are not in locations where you show there is a truck?
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles thank you for posting and tweeting the erv sighting, that is really all anyone should care about right now
    • Glen Kinnaird Look, I don't need to work for you to help you. I can send messages to you through facebook and twitter like I did all day yesterday. Just tell me where I can find out how many trucks are in NY and NJ and how do I show people online how to find a truck? The twitter postings are not cutting it.
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles while you have been so busy bashing us on facebook this morning, i helped a young lady who care about a little girl in the country of georgia find help to get a rare blood transfusion.
    • Glen Kinnaird Well, I have a degree in Public Relations, you should care about your image in this campaign. People are complaining they are not seeing Red Cross and FEMA. Do you have plans to bring in more workers? What is your plan? Where can we see your plan?
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles as well as erv locations in coney island and the rockaways, as i have done every day all day since landfall, before this i was alerting all my friends and their friends of the eminent danger of the storm and to make their plans and get ready
    • Glen Kinnaird Are you the only one in that HUGE charity that is over ALL COMMUNICATIONS? Working with Logistics during the 1996 Olympic games, there were more people overseeing communications than are working on this relief effort here in NY and NJ and we didn't have 200 Million Dollars to work with either. I just want to know why we are NOT SEEING RED ALL OVER THE PLACE FOR $200 MILLION DOLLARS!
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, every event is different just in sheer nature of natural disaster, this is why we train all year long, to gather and educate volunteers so they will understand and be prepared. we have never hidden anything from the public. it's regrettable that your interest in helping has come after such a large disaster.
    • Glen Kinnaird I am talking to people in all the areas where you are posting as locations of your activity. Do you want to explain why Kristin Blazey can't find a Red Cross truck on Staten Island?
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles the American Red Cross's mission is to alleviate human suffering and advocate "Get a kit, make a plan!" all year long. no matter what.
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles now, if you are still interested in volunteering, be patient with the incredible amount of volume of traffic in the easts already compromised grid and re submit your application. the lines were so busy even three days ago, when i made my own text doantion it took three tries
    • Kristin Blazey I have been all over Staten Island for days delivering pies courtesy of donations from across the country and havent seen a truck yet.. I find that ODD!
    • Glen Kinnaird So you are telling me it is "MY" fault that I did not volunteer sooner to help an Organization that just took in $200 Million Dollars? There were more people working on the ING MARATHON and THAT IS NOT AN EMERGENCY. DO NOT try to make this MY FAULT. I was already helping you where I thought I saw a need. Someone needs to be the WATCH DOG for GIANT RICH Charities that Take IN MILLIONS and don't show how the money is flowing out.
    • Glen Kinnaird THAT IS IT! I am going to get a Grass Roots group of Film Makers and WE are going to FIND RED CROSS in NY and NJ!
    • Glen Kinnaird THEN we are going to count the trucks and KEEP YOU ACCOUNTABLE!
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles i do not mind taking abuse form someone in the rockaways who is desperately hungry and cold, but i most certainly do mind someone who has never bothered to learn one thing about the red cross before Sandy hit and this insane rumor mill got started and is warm and safe in their home coming here to bash us while we answer distress calls
    • Glen Kinnaird So, you had 5 workers at Queens College last night. Good for you. That's a +5 in your favor and minus 5 for #Sandy. Thank You!
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles lol tone is hard to decipher on here, i hope you are wishing me well cause i really do want to get this food to people
    • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, i will have to go to class in about thirty minutes and be off line for several hours. it would be most helpful if you continued to post and tweet erv sightings while i'm gone. several other volunteers will be coming in from other girds around the country and globe to keep up communications as best we can.
    • Benjamin Antonio I haven't seen them either They have the media backing them its all smoking mirrors...take a picture post it in the media and you're done. 100 million gone!
    • Benjamin Antonio Very Sad.. if they really wanna help give some money or at least half to contractors to start cleaning up bringing in dumpsters and cleaning up the mess.. that's where you start. food is being giving out by everyone from what ive seen and they didn't raise 100 million to volunteer
    • Benjamin Antonio they dont post pics of themselves helping others and yes they ahve profiles
    • Natalie Pellegrino Red Cross doesn't post pics of themselves helping others either, cause they aren't...they showed Eli Manning, and showed two little adorable girls giving them wads of cash, but you know what I don't see any workers anywhere on the Island. Such a scam, and if any one tries to bullshit, don't bother, as I am OUT THERE and don't see your asses anywhere. 200 million dollar dollars in a week and no one has seen you? yeah pretty fuckin ridiculous.
    • Michael Oman-Reagan Hey Glen - A lot of people don't understand how the volunteer process with Red Cross works. Folks who sign up now are spontaneous volunteers, not regular volunteers. Regular volunteers who sign up prior to a disaster like this are interviewed and attend many complex, long training sessions to learn all the things you need to know in order to manage a shelter with thousands of residents, or coordinate Emergency Response Vehicle feeding operations. over 90% of the people who work for Red Cross are volunteers, highly trained volunteers who are mobilized in response to situations like this. Those of us who sign up during a disaster are a different pool of folks who are called up if needed. At the moment, I suspect that you're not hearing back from Red Cross because they have reached their capacity for staffing - it takes lots of hours of work to process volunteers, to do the background checks, etc. I'm sorry that none of this volunteer process was explained - but you can read more about it all on the web site, if you read all the information there. If you have questions, feel free to write to me, I'm not with the Red Cross, although I have done spontaneous volunteer work with them and plan to do more training in the future. Thanks for being concerned - just try not to attack folks who are working for free, volunteering and doing their best to be helpful!
    • Glen Kinnaird Hey Michael, My sister-in-law works with World Vision, so I get that I can't jump in there. I was upset to learn the $500 million coming into Red Cross for Sandy is being spread over 10 states. Yes, this sounds reasonable, however try explaining that to someone here in Staten Island who goes to a location Red Cross tweets, then there is no truck at this location. Red Cross is putting out information that is not true or accurate, this makes it seem like FRAUD or a SCAM. No one is policing these Non-Profits to make sure they are being responsible. I know Red Cross has been doing this since the Civil War. Many of my family members where involved in Red Cross for many generations, I am sure. This message strand with this individual was one of three. Every profile that contacted me from RED CROSS had a FAKE LOOKING PROFILE! No friends, no way to friend them. Don't you think that it STRANGE? Don't you see the need for MORE Transparency? Several times leaders with this Organization have been brought up on Charges for FRAUD. These people need help and they are not getting it. That is WHY I am really angry. Yes, I only gave $20, but so did millions of hard working AMERICANS. Do you realize how easy it would be for us to just sit back, the money dribbles out and YET AGAIN another LARGE Charity gets away with the LOOT? I have seen this in the Non-Profit sector within the GAY COMMUNITY and AIDS while living in Atlanta, GA. I know corruption happens, I have seen it first hand. Am I trying to be a Super Hero? NO! I just wanted to help them by telling people where the FREAKIN TRUCKS are located. Then I start getting messages that THERE ARE NO TRUCKS AT THESE LOCATIONS!!!! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!!
    • Natalie Pellegrino and why are they giving away all these hot meals? The community is feeding the volunteers...send the hot meals to the shelters for the people who really need it!! Why arent they going to the shelters and giving them supplies?
    • Glen Kinnaird 5:05 p - Seaford, NY - #RedCross Emergency Response Vehicle 2151 is at Cedar Creek Park. Serving hot meals.
    • Glen Kinnaird Michael, the NY RED CROSS ADDITIONAL TASK FORCE IS LOCATED INSIDE TRADEWEB? An ONLINE TRADING COMPANY? THAT IS THE ONLY SPACE A MILLION DOLLAR NONPROFIT CAN FIND? REALLY?
    • Glen Kinnaird Oops, I was trying to not make them out to be a TOTAL MONSTER!

    --
     
     

    ray alba

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    Nov 9, 2012, 12:14:50 AM11/9/12
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    Guys,

    Jim an MD specializing in these events is here in NYC with his team. No sooner than I get his response - Mike Dellavecchia pings us that he was in 711 Seagirt with a Russian friend of his to help - he drove all the way from Philly. I couldn't make it. He essentially has said that people are dying there - possibly some are dead.

    We are chatting with Jim and 911 now - this story needs to be covered.

    Joe, we know some Russians - we might need to get there with them.

    We need to get this covered..

    12:04am
    guys!! PLEASE CALL 911 next time you see anythning close to this! dispatch is out, EMT is going there. please have someone meet them and find an interpreter. on what floor were people presumed dead??

    From: Jennifer Benepe <jbe...@msn.com>
    To: joseph....@databasepublish.com; mag...@gmail.com; sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
    Cc: laura...@gmail.com
    Sent: Thursday, November 8, 2012 11:55 PM
    Subject: RE: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)

    --
     
     


    Jennifer Benepe

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    Nov 9, 2012, 12:22:16 AM11/9/12
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    Okay I might be able to contact some of the investigative reporters at ABC, but first I need to understand it myself.
    And I certainly would like to write about it.

    Jennifer Benepe jbe...@msn.com

    Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2012 21:14:50 -0800
    From: ralb...@yahoo.com

    Subject: Re: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)
    --
     
     

    Michelle Chang

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    Nov 9, 2012, 1:02:37 AM11/9/12
    to Jennifer Benepe, ralb...@yahoo.com, joseph....@databasepublish.com, mag...@gmail.com, sandy-re...@googlegroups.com, laura...@gmail.com
    Hello group, 

    My name is Michelle Chang, I am friend's with Joe Bachana (just as an fyi).  I am interested in the film.  However, a minor obstacle... I am headed to the West Coast next week for the winter.  My time there is somewhat flex, meaning, in theory I could fly back and forth, but my plans were to be on the West Coast for approx 3 months.  

    With that said, I am still interested, not sure how the film will break out into various sections, but I am interested.

    @ Ray Alba: Do you have a Russian interpreter?  I might be headed out to Far Rockaway tomorrow/Friday afternoon to check in on 155 Beach 19th st.  I can't figure out 100% what is going on, but they definitely need an interpretor.  Most people seem to be afraid and confused, and there is definitely a language barrier.  Plus, of the 31 seniors that were evacuated from this area yesterday, 16 have found a place up in the Bronx for now.  But they are also scared and confused, and an interpretor would be a blessing to help them understand what is going on.  

    Michelle





    --
     
     



    --
    michelle:chang

    {One thing about crazy people - they see things other people don't.} - Caballo

    ray alba

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    Nov 9, 2012, 1:16:26 AM11/9/12
    to Michelle Chang, Jennifer Benepe, joseph....@databasepublish.com, mag...@gmail.com, sandy-re...@googlegroups.com, laura...@gmail.com
    Michelle,

    I don't have an interpreter - though I have some Russian friends that I am reaching out to. Just contacted one now..

    Rennie - my twin and the catalyst for this whole group -his wife Claire helping with that evacuation. They had to leave sadly. Many didn't want to go.

    There is a woman named Irinia - a Russian Kazakh friend in Broad Channel. Her home is a mess and no power though they are now getting OK support - I might be able to get her to go with you.

    Ray



    From: Michelle Chang <innovat...@gmail.com>
    To: Jennifer Benepe <jbe...@msn.com>
    Cc: ralb...@yahoo.com; joseph....@databasepublish.com; mag...@gmail.com; sandy-re...@googlegroups.com; laura...@gmail.com
    Sent: Friday, November 9, 2012 1:02 AM

    Michelle Chang

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    Nov 9, 2012, 1:24:46 AM11/9/12
    to ray alba, Jennifer Benepe, joseph....@databasepublish.com, mag...@gmail.com, sandy-re...@googlegroups.com, laura...@gmail.com
    Hi Ray:

    Thanks. 

    Please let me know if you do find somebody that is available in the afternoon.  Or maybe Saturday too.  

    I understand many do not want to go, but it is no longer safe or sanitary for them to stay there.  The safety isn't just for the seniors, it's also for the volunteers.  We all only have so much daylight to work with and honestly, based on a conversation I had with Ken Soloway this afternoon, some seniors sound like they are staying and deciding to rely on the volunteers to survive.  

    Now I am all about helping out, but seriously... the "abuse"/taking advantage of the volunteers in this manner is a bit, well not cool.  Volunteers can only do so much and most volunteers have huge hearts, but refusing to leave your home, under mandatory evacuations, and even legal evacuations, is a problem.  

    I am hoping an interpretor will help convince them to go to a shelter, or a home, or even be checked into a hospital if they have medical concerns, from which point, they could probably be switched to a nursing home type place with a warm bed.  

    I need to sleep otherwise I will not function tomorrow.  But I will look out for any responses in the morning.  

    Joseph Bachana

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    Nov 9, 2012, 9:27:14 AM11/9/12
    to sandy-re...@googlegroups.com

    Suggestion to all.

     

    1.       We need to get the word out NATIONALLY through all our contacts for people to STOP sending money to the ARC

    2.       We need to get a short list of LOCAL (ON THE GROUND) charities that are making an impact. WE MUST BE CAREFUL that we are not acting impetuously and possibly funding a con-organization. The list should only be of organizations that are reputable and established. I can think of NY Cares as one, but I haven’t seen them out there (anyone? Anyone? Bueller?). Giving to NEW 501c3’s or individuals is inappropriate when considering that people are dipping into their piggy banks around the country. Again, we ALL need to check our motivations, if you’ve set up a 501c3 that may have not been the best idea at this late stage. We need companies that logistics EXPERTS at this thing, then FUND THEM (as well as give them labor power)

    3.       After we get this list, we must publicize it through our channels, through the media, articles, etc. That 250million will NOT get to where it needs to go by ARC because it is NOT set up to do that kind of relief. That money will go into their general funds, earmarked or not. But they cannot move with alacrity to get those considerable funds deployed in the region. It just won’t happen, it can’t. They’re not evil, they’re just too big and not chartered to work that way.

     

    This is my recommendation folks. #2 above is URGENT at this point, since our hundreds (thousands?) of boots on the pavement are making small impacts, but what is needed is organizational impacts alongside ours. We can bitch about ARC and FEMA, or we can sidestep them and align with better suited NFPs/NGOs.

     

    By the way, as an email etiquette suggestion, we’re all on this list.  If you email the list AND the person’s individual email address, they get it twice, which floods their inbox. Consider removing the individual addresses.

     

    -Joe Bachana

    Thanks for the intel. 

     

     

     

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    ·         You and 2 others like this.

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    Michael Oman-Reagan Hey Glen - A lot of people don't understand how the volunteer process with Red Cross works. Folks who sign up now are spontaneous volunteers, not regular volunteers. Regular volunteers who sign up prior to a disaster like this are interviewed and attend many complex, long training sessions to learn all the things you need to know in order to manage a shelter with thousands of residents, or coordinate Emergency Response Vehicle feeding operations. over 90% of the people who work for Red Cross are volunteers, highly trained volunteers who are mobilized in response to situations like this. Those of us who sign up during a disaster are a different pool of folks who are called up if needed. At the moment, I suspect that you're not hearing back from Red Cross because they have reached their capacity for staffing - it takes lots of hours of work to process volunteers, to do the background checks, etc. I'm sorry that none of this volunteer process was explained - but you can read more about it all on the web site, if you read all the information there. If you have questions, feel free to write to me, I'm not with the Red Cross, although I have done spontaneous volunteer work with them and plan to do more training in the future. Thanks for being concerned - just try not to attack folks who are working for free, volunteering and doing their best to be helpful!

    Glen Kinnaird Hey Michael, My sister-in-law works with World Vision, so I get that I can't jump in there. I was upset to learn the $500 million coming into Red Cross for Sandy is being spread over 10 states. Yes, this sounds reasonable, however try explaining that to someone here in Staten Island who goes to a location Red Cross tweets, then there is no truck at this location. Red Cross is putting out information that is not true or accurate, this makes it seem like FRAUD or a SCAM. No one is policing these Non-Profits to make sure they are being responsible. I know Red Cross has been doing this since the Civil War. Many of my family members where involved in Red Cross for many generations, I am sure. This message strand with this individual was one of three. Every profile that contacted me from RED CROSS had a FAKE LOOKING PROFILE! No friends, no way to friend them. Don't you think that it STRANGE? Don't you see the need for MORE Transparency? Several times leaders with this Organization have been brought up on Charges for FRAUD. These people need help and they are not getting it. That is WHY I am really angry. Yes, I only gave $20, but so did millions of hard working AMERICANS. Do you realize how easy it would be for us to just sit back, the money dribbles out and YET AGAIN another LARGE Charity gets away with the LOOT? I have seen this in the Non-Profit sector within the GAY COMMUNITY and AIDS while living in Atlanta, GA. I know corruption happens, I have seen it first hand. Am I trying to be a Super Hero? NO! I just wanted to help them by telling people where the FREAKIN TRUCKS are located. Then I start getting messages that THERE ARE NO TRUCKS AT THESE LOCATIONS!!!! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!!

    Aaron Marks

    unread,
    Nov 9, 2012, 2:05:52 PM11/9/12
    to Jennifer Benepe, sandy-re...@googlegroups.com

    Does anyone have a decent grasp on where the Red Cross IS present? And what they're doing? They must be somewhere, if not the Rockaways.

    On Nov 9, 2012 12:10 AM, "Jennifer Benepe" <jbe...@msn.com> wrote:
    this was the only mention on Red cross twitter of their presence on Breezy Point
    Unlike ·  · Tuesday at 2:30pm near New York
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles wow. that is so incredibly rude to me and the other volunteers who have been sending help links out before and after the storm, staying up all night for days to answer distress signals.
      • Glen Kinnaird Then have a real facebook profile like the rest of us. I know those helping are working hard, I am not that mean. I tried to sign up to volunteer to help you, but was rejected or fell through the cracks. Why are all your facebook profiles not real?
      • Glen Kinnaird I was sending out your links all day on Twitter to let people know how to find your trucks and you shut me down. I only wanted to help, but people kept telling me your trucks were no where in sight.
      • Glen Kinnaird Then why do all three profiles for Red Cross workers (like yourself) who have contacted me about my efforts to help your Org all look the same? You have no friends, you won't let people friend or message you? It is very Odd, sorry.
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, maybe the amount of internet traffic on an grid in distress slowed the processing of your internet application down.
      • Glen Kinnaird Plus, you are not addressing the claims that Red Cross is out there working, we see that. However, why are so many people posting you are not in locations where you show there is a truck?
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles thank you for posting and tweeting the erv sighting, that is really all anyone should care about right now
      • Glen Kinnaird Look, I don't need to work for you to help you. I can send messages to you through facebook and twitter like I did all day yesterday. Just tell me where I can find out how many trucks are in NY and NJ and how do I show people online how to find a truck? The twitter postings are not cutting it.
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles while you have been so busy bashing us on facebook this morning, i helped a young lady who care about a little girl in the country of georgia find help to get a rare blood transfusion.
      • Glen Kinnaird Well, I have a degree in Public Relations, you should care about your image in this campaign. People are complaining they are not seeing Red Cross and FEMA. Do you have plans to bring in more workers? What is your plan? Where can we see your plan?
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles as well as erv locations in coney island and the rockaways, as i have done every day all day since landfall, before this i was alerting all my friends and their friends of the eminent danger of the storm and to make their plans and get ready
      • Glen Kinnaird Are you the only one in that HUGE charity that is over ALL COMMUNICATIONS? Working with Logistics during the 1996 Olympic games, there were more people overseeing communications than are working on this relief effort here in NY and NJ and we didn't have 200 Million Dollars to work with either. I just want to know why we are NOT SEEING RED ALL OVER THE PLACE FOR $200 MILLION DOLLARS!
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, every event is different just in sheer nature of natural disaster, this is why we train all year long, to gather and educate volunteers so they will understand and be prepared. we have never hidden anything from the public. it's regrettable that your interest in helping has come after such a large disaster.
      • Glen Kinnaird I am talking to people in all the areas where you are posting as locations of your activity. Do you want to explain why Kristin Blazey can't find a Red Cross truck on Staten Island?
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles the American Red Cross's mission is to alleviate human suffering and advocate "Get a kit, make a plan!" all year long. no matter what.
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles now, if you are still interested in volunteering, be patient with the incredible amount of volume of traffic in the easts already compromised grid and re submit your application. the lines were so busy even three days ago, when i made my own text doantion it took three tries
      • Kristin Blazey I have been all over Staten Island for days delivering pies courtesy of donations from across the country and havent seen a truck yet.. I find that ODD!
      • Glen Kinnaird So you are telling me it is "MY" fault that I did not volunteer sooner to help an Organization that just took in $200 Million Dollars? There were more people working on the ING MARATHON and THAT IS NOT AN EMERGENCY. DO NOT try to make this MY FAULT. I was already helping you where I thought I saw a need. Someone needs to be the WATCH DOG for GIANT RICH Charities that Take IN MILLIONS and don't show how the money is flowing out.
      • Glen Kinnaird THAT IS IT! I am going to get a Grass Roots group of Film Makers and WE are going to FIND RED CROSS in NY and NJ!
      • Glen Kinnaird THEN we are going to count the trucks and KEEP YOU ACCOUNTABLE!
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles i do not mind taking abuse form someone in the rockaways who is desperately hungry and cold, but i most certainly do mind someone who has never bothered to learn one thing about the red cross before Sandy hit and this insane rumor mill got started and is warm and safe in their home coming here to bash us while we answer distress calls
      • Glen Kinnaird So, you had 5 workers at Queens College last night. Good for you. That's a +5 in your favor and minus 5 for #Sandy. Thank You!
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles lol tone is hard to decipher on here, i hope you are wishing me well cause i really do want to get this food to people
      • Carlotta Kingry-Miles Mr Kinnaird, i will have to go to class in about thirty minutes and be off line for several hours. it would be most helpful if you continued to post and tweet erv sightings while i'm gone. several other volunteers will be coming in from other girds around the country and globe to keep up communications as best we can.
      • Benjamin Antonio I haven't seen them either They have the media backing them its all smoking mirrors...take a picture post it in the media and you're done. 100 million gone!
      • Benjamin Antonio Very Sad.. if they really wanna help give some money or at least half to contractors to start cleaning up bringing in dumpsters and cleaning up the mess.. that's where you start. food is being giving out by everyone from what ive seen and they didn't raise 100 million to volunteer
      • Benjamin Antonio they dont post pics of themselves helping others and yes they ahve profiles
      • Natalie Pellegrino Red Cross doesn't post pics of themselves helping others either, cause they aren't...they showed Eli Manning, and showed two little adorable girls giving them wads of cash, but you know what I don't see any workers anywhere on the Island. Such a scam, and if any one tries to bullshit, don't bother, as I am OUT THERE and don't see your asses anywhere. 200 million dollar dollars in a week and no one has seen you? yeah pretty fuckin ridiculous.
      • Michael Oman-Reagan Hey Glen - A lot of people don't understand how the volunteer process with Red Cross works. Folks who sign up now are spontaneous volunteers, not regular volunteers. Regular volunteers who sign up prior to a disaster like this are interviewed and attend many complex, long training sessions to learn all the things you need to know in order to manage a shelter with thousands of residents, or coordinate Emergency Response Vehicle feeding operations. over 90% of the people who work for Red Cross are volunteers, highly trained volunteers who are mobilized in response to situations like this. Those of us who sign up during a disaster are a different pool of folks who are called up if needed. At the moment, I suspect that you're not hearing back from Red Cross because they have reached their capacity for staffing - it takes lots of hours of work to process volunteers, to do the background checks, etc. I'm sorry that none of this volunteer process was explained - but you can read more about it all on the web site, if you read all the information there. If you have questions, feel free to write to me, I'm not with the Red Cross, although I have done spontaneous volunteer work with them and plan to do more training in the future. Thanks for being concerned - just try not to attack folks who are working for free, volunteering and doing their best to be helpful!
      • Glen Kinnaird Hey Michael, My sister-in-law works with World Vision, so I get that I can't jump in there. I was upset to learn the $500 million coming into Red Cross for Sandy is being spread over 10 states. Yes, this sounds reasonable, however try explaining that to someone here in Staten Island who goes to a location Red Cross tweets, then there is no truck at this location. Red Cross is putting out information that is not true or accurate, this makes it seem like FRAUD or a SCAM. No one is policing these Non-Profits to make sure they are being responsible. I know Red Cross has been doing this since the Civil War. Many of my family members where involved in Red Cross for many generations, I am sure. This message strand with this individual was one of three. Every profile that contacted me from RED CROSS had a FAKE LOOKING PROFILE! No friends, no way to friend them. Don't you think that it STRANGE? Don't you see the need for MORE Transparency? Several times leaders with this Organization have been brought up on Charges for FRAUD. These people need help and they are not getting it. That is WHY I am really angry. Yes, I only gave $20, but so did millions of hard working AMERICANS. Do you realize how easy it would be for us to just sit back, the money dribbles out and YET AGAIN another LARGE Charity gets away with the LOOT? I have seen this in the Non-Profit sector within the GAY COMMUNITY and AIDS while living in Atlanta, GA. I know corruption happens, I have seen it first hand. Am I trying to be a Super Hero? NO! I just wanted to help them by telling people where the FREAKIN TRUCKS are located. Then I start getting messages that THERE ARE NO TRUCKS AT THESE LOCATIONS!!!! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!!
      • Natalie Pellegrino and why are they giving away all these hot meals? The community is feeding the volunteers...send the hot meals to the shelters for the people who really need it!! Why arent they going to the shelters and giving them supplies?
      • Glen Kinnaird 5:05 p - Seaford, NY - #RedCross Emergency Response Vehicle 2151 is at Cedar Creek Park. Serving hot meals.
      • Glen Kinnaird Michael, the NY RED CROSS ADDITIONAL TASK FORCE IS LOCATED INSIDE TRADEWEB? An ONLINE TRADING COMPANY? THAT IS THE ONLY SPACE A MILLION DOLLAR NONPROFIT CAN FIND? REALLY?
      • Glen Kinnaird Oops, I was trying to not make them out to be a TOTAL MONSTER!

      --
       
       

      ray alba

      unread,
      Nov 9, 2012, 2:09:19 PM11/9/12
      to Aaron Marks, Jennifer Benepe, sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
      I don't know - which is completely nuts.

      Ray

      From: Aaron Marks <aaron...@gmail.com>
      To: Jennifer Benepe <jbe...@msn.com>
      Cc: sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
      Sent: Friday, November 9, 2012 2:05 PM
      Subject: RE: Where is the Red Cross? (Why the Sandy Relief Google Group exists)

      --
       
       


      Charline Burgess

      unread,
      Nov 9, 2012, 2:45:20 PM11/9/12
      to ray alba, Aaron Marks, Jennifer Benepe, sandy-re...@googlegroups.com
      Here is one of the websites where you can find Red Cross food distribution sites


      --Charline
      --
       
       

      Minda Aguhob

      unread,
      Oct 28, 2013, 3:26:43 PM10/28/13
      to Laura Egan, James Wilson, Jennifer Benepe, <joseph.bachana@databasepublish.com>, <sandy-relief-team@googlegroups.com>
      AWESOME Laura!!!! I love this visual poetry!! I'm CRYING.

      I was JUST about to POST this on FB, but I have another idea.

      Can we all get together somewhere for a Sandy Relief Volunteer Reunion, and have a screening of this awesome film?
      We could have some networking and bonding time together.
      How about drinks midweek, or Sunday brunch, soon in NYC?  
      Next week, or week of November 18 (I'm out of town Nov 7-14). 

      Also happy to host something at my place, unless we have other ideas.
      I miss you all, as the amazing spirited loving leaders we all became, together.

      Love, Minda



      On Mon, Oct 28, 2013 at 3:03 PM, Laura Egan <laura...@gmail.com> wrote:

      A YEAR AGO A POWERFUL STORM SWEPT THROUGH LIKE A DEVIL IN THE NIGHT.

      Like a trickle, which became a river, which became a flood, thousands upon thousands of helping hands showed up as a response. Help came from unexpected places in relief efforts. People gave hope, shed light, and it was a reminder to us that life is fragile.

      The volunteer answered the call. In the new and unsettling reality, there is a hero in each and every person that rose to the challenge. 

       If you know someone that gave a dollar, gave an hour, please share this with them.

       Thank YOU for sharing time, love, hope, and your light.

       When a storm comes - think - what would I lay my life down for? What do I treasure most in this world? Cling to that in any storm and you shall be unharmed and ride through any storm victoriously. Let the rest wash away - you will REMAIN. RESURRECT. REBUILD. RECOVER. Nothing can take that away.

      That sense of home comes from within. In times when we are stripped bare, our lives crucified, we cling to the anchor within us all. Our internal compass, our north point guides us there. That is what I saw in people. The hero within all of us.

      ANCHOR YOURSELF.

       

      ANCHOR ME HERE Documentary Short. 4minutes

      Synopsis: Abstract narrative meditating on the long-term effects of Hurricane Sandy from a community perspective. Based on the evolution of recovery: catalyst, loss, and rebuilding, the film is told in impressionistic strokes - contrasted with explorations of nature in all its beauty and lonliness. Storytelling through the eyes of first responders, fishermen, leaders of faith, and families.

      Official screening and reception by MoMA/PS1in Summer 2013. Winner in Transmedia category at Tribeca Film Festival 2013 (exhibited under Sandy Storyline). Currently in rounds of submissions to various short film festivals.  Planned hard launch online in Fall 2013 on year mark anniversary in conjunction with media partner. Camera grant of Phantom Miro provided by Vision Research as part of one of four finalists in nationwide search. 

       INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN – FRANK THE FISH

      It took 30 years of fishing Jamaica Bay for James “Frank the Fish” Culleton to build his home and business. It took just one night for the bay to reclaim them. For the past year, I have been documenting Frank the Fish's life as of one of Rockaway's last commercial fisherman and charter boat captain. This work has resulted in a piece entitled Devil in the Night (see below for link), and some of its images were published in the today’s New  York Times (Sunday, October 27, 2013). Devil in the Night chronicles the lasting mental and physical losses James endured during and after Superstorm Sandy. His relationship with the water is the centerpiece of his life, the prism through which he views his world. For 12 months now, I have watched Frank bounce around from place to place trying to find a warm bed. Early on, dispossessed from his ruined home, he frequently slept in the front seat of his van. He eventually spent weeks on friends’ sofas and in a SRO. He remains in limbo. The stress of not knowing where he will sleep every night is tremendous. 

      Please help raise $7,500 so Frank can buy a motor home, allowing him to finally move back onto his property. If we succeed, it will be the first time since Superstorm Sandy hit one year ago, so that Frank will have a private place to eat, sleep, and shower. Every dollar raised will go into the purchase of a motor home for Frank.  

      Why does Frank need a motor home? Good question. Let’s break it down: 

       1. A permanent place to live, no more bouncing around!

       2. His own bed. This would be the first time in a year that Frank would have his own bed. 

       3. Mobility. In the event of another storm, Frank can move his RV to high ground and escape the same predicament.

       4. Flexibility. Frank can follow the fish during the winter and make the money he needs to re-build his house, which will costs a lot more than a motor home. 

       Please donate as much as you can afford, whether it is $10 or $1000 do. Help Frank pick up the pieces of his life. I ask on his behalf, because he is a hardworking and proud man who would never ask for help himself despite his tremendous need. Please help with whatever you can! Let’s do this this week, so Frank has something to celebrate on this one year anniversary of Sandy.

       NYT ARTICLE ON JAMES CULLETON “FRANK THE FISH” – excerpt. Riding Out Sandy in the Rockaways

       WHEN the morning tide came in you could tell it was going to be a big one. I live in Arverne, a neighborhood in the Rockaways, and in the morning when I was walking up Thursby Avenue I could already see the water coming in on that first tide.

       But no one was really panicking yet. We get flooding from time to time. But the wind hadn’t even started blowing yet and already the water was coming down the road.

       That’s when I see these two swans. They’re just as happy as can be floating down the middle of the road. The water went around the corner and the swans went that way too. I wonder what happened to them.

       Come nighttime, the wind’s really starting to blow. I didn’t really think about evacuating. My idea — I was going to sit in my boat and ride it out like a Viking. I’ve been in hurricanes before.

       Anyway, during the day I caught a load of fish ‘cause, you know, when a big storm’s coming you better have something on hand that you can sell afterward (Go to article to continue reading..)




       




      --
      I'm running NYC Marathon 2013 for cancer research, in honor of my cousin Yvette Guerzon. Please consider making a donation! 
      http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/nyc13/maguhob

      "Volunteers are amazing. Be amazing!" 

      Minda Aguhob, Ed.M.
      Research Consultant, Medical Administration
      Woodhull Hospital/NYCHHC
      Time Out Video Monitoring & Evaluation Project
      mag...@gmail.com
      917-566-8223
      Twitter @studentsforqual


      Interested in quality work? Join the community.

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