Cornwall: Both Hurricanes Harvey and Maria packed quite a punch this summer, leaving devastation in Texas and Puerto Rico. As citizens continue to repair their broken lives, Orange County has been collecting donations to help the victims. That generosity has spread to Cornwall, as well as the school district.
Hurricane Harvey struck Texas on Aug. 25 and lingered for five days. The Category 4 storm brought winds upwards of 130 miles per hour, leading to widespread destruction of homes and buildings.
Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on Sept. 20 as a Category 4 storm, knocking out the island’s entire power grid. The storm, one of the strongest ever to hit the island, followed Hurricane Irma. It resulted in approximately $10 billion of damage.
Following in line with other town clerks in the county, Renata McGee set up a collection box, last week, at Town Hall. To date, residents have dropped off eight cases of water, a full bin of food, and more is on the way.
The last date to drop off donations is Oct. 13. Supplies needed include: bottled water, flashlights, batteries (no lithium batteries), canned goods, old-style can opener, tarps, blankets, feminine hygiene products, personal first aid kits, candles and baby supplies. All items must be unopened and in their original packaging. No clothing will be accepted.
Students and staff at Willow Avenue Elementary School began collecting for the Red Cross this week.
At the high school, the girls varsity soccer team, led by junior Deanna Cavazza, held a bake sale, and donated their own money to purchase food shopping gift cards to distribute to families in need. Donations were made to the Baker-Ripley School in Houston.
The Baker-Ripley School is a charter school, of about 300 K to 5 students, in the Gulfton neighborhood of southwest Houston.
“A friend of my mom’s, who attended West Point, told us about a wonderful program for a low-income community that needed items after Hurricane Harvey, in Houston, and I wanted to do something to help these kids,” said Cavazza.
Goshen: Orange County is encouraging residents to donate supplies for victims of hurricane-torn Puerto Rico.
“Orange County has many families with direct connections to Puerto Rico,” Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus said. “We are concerned for their loved ones and stand in support of our community members who have family and friends in Puerto Rico. I encourage residents to make a donation to help this important cause.”
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office, at 110 Wells Farm Rd. in Goshen is accepting donations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition, supplies can be dropped off at the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, located at 30 Scott’s Corners Drive in Montgomery, and in town clerk’s offices across the county, including Highlands (254 Main St., Highland Falls). Donations will be accepted until Oct. 13.
Supplies needed include bottled water, flashlights, batteries (no lithium batteries), canned goods, old-style can opener, tarps, blankets, feminine hygiene products, personal first aid kits, candles and baby supplies. All items must be unopened and in their original packaging.
Newburgh: The Newburgh Armory Unity Center started collecting supplies for Puerto Rico on Sept. 30 and the drive will continue until 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7.
Sen. Bill Larkin and William Kaplan, the founder and president of the Unity Center, organized the drive that has taken place every day from 2 to 6 p.m.
KFM Trucking of Walden has donated a trailer for the project. KFM employees will help load the trailer on Saturday and then drive it to a pick-up location in Florida. From there the contents will be shipped to Puerto Rico.
