RALLYING FOR RELIEF: Reaching out to the Gulf Coast

RALLYING FOR RELIEF By Ellen Gambatese A committee is formed to help Mississippi flood victims.

   In preparing my granddaughter to receive First (and always) Communion, the lesson focused on the creation of man, his superiority over the rest of the animal kingdom, and, hence, man’s being given stewardship over all the earth.
   She pondered being "superior to the rest of the animal kingdom" and then said to me, "That’s not what Jane Goodall says."
   Surely I didn’t expect that reaction.
   With due respect to Ms. Goodall’s studied apes, man alone has the ability to dream abstract dreams from which great achievements are realized; to imagine so vividly as to take bold action; to empathize with situations heard of but not seen, and to feel such great compassion for the suffering that heroic levels of response are put forth. This newspaper’s editor has generously given this space in order to explain a situation and a mission and I’m calling on you to put those abilities to use.
   Imagine that tomorrow a wicked storm totally destroys almost 80 percent of our homes, our schools, our library and our recreation center. Imagine living for weeks first under trees, then in tents, and maybe in an unfurnished trailer. Imagine not only our belongings gone, schoolbooks and supplies gone, but also muck and mess, rashes and athlete’s foot discomfort compounding our misery.
   Imagine the physical, emotional and psychological pain.
   Such is life for residents of D’Iberville, Miss., a small Gulf Coast town affected and infected by Katrina’s power but unnoticed by the media, perhaps because it’s small compared to its neighbors or, perhaps, because impassable roads and loss of infrastructure made coverage impossible.
   I’ve been asked to chair a fund-raising drive for South Brunswick’s residents to assist Katrina’s victims so I called the Red Cross and Catholic Relief Services to see how donations would be used. The CRS director told me that a resident of our township is on their disaster response team. Recognizing the name of Detective Jim Ryan, I called and he explained the procedure used to ensure that any and all aid truly gets to the victims. Key to this plan is having a direct contact person and a mechanism in place at the receiving end to distribute needed items. Coincidentally, he knew a situation already in place and suggested that we might be able to move things along as two garages full of supplies and about 40 cartons of donations from Crossroads North School seventh-graders were ready to go but had no transport.
   Calling on the most resourceful people I know, a committee was formed and they listened to both the plan, long proven successful, and the findings of townsman Al Nardi who’d been contacted by a desperate friend and whose research uncovered the plight of D’Iberville.
   The committee, consisting of Mayor Gambatese, schools Superintendent Gary McCartney, South Brunswick Post Managing Editor Hank Kalet, Councilman Chris Killmurray, the Rev. John Maltby of Miller Memorial Presbyterian Church, Al Nardi of the St. Cecilia’s Knights of Columbus, Ed and Danie Peloquin, Detective Ryan, Marlene Scanlon of the St. Vincent dePaul Society of St. Augustine of Canterbury R.C. Church, township Public Affairs Coordinator Ron Schmalz and township Social Services Director LouAnneWolf, felt strongly that, although South Brunswick residents have already responded quickly and generously in various ways, our community has the compassion to stretch itself for this desperate, unnoticed town of 8,000.
   This would be a heart-to-heart, hand-to-hand, community-to-community effort to help a town restore its life. And it is likely to continue for several months as needs change.
   We are calling the project South Brunswick Rallies for Relief and appealing to you to join in.
   Mayor Gambatese has contacted D’Iberville’s officials who said their immediate needs are: anti-bacterial soap (not bars) and anti-fungal ointments; Benedryl, aspirin, Band-Aids; canned goods; school books and supplies; sheets and light blankets; office furniture and equipment; plumbing supplies, especially 2-inch PVC piping, and people to help reconstruct. They are deluged with clothing.
   Cash is very much needed, as well. Some items have to be purchased here or gift certificates have to be given. Shipping the donations is expensive; the time of donated trucks is past. We’re still looking for the least expensive ways and means.
   In his Inaugural Address, President Kennedy quoted from Scripture: "Of those to whom much has been given, much is required."
   Will you help? Do you have resources? Please call (732) 821-0639 or (732) 329-4000, ext. 7275.
   Make checks payable to South Brunswick Township/Katrina Relief and send to South Brunswick Municipal Building, Ridge Road, Monmouth Junction, NJ, 08852.
   Other donations may be dropped at the Senior Center.
   A truck will be going down within the week with the supplies we’ve gathered.
   Thank you on behalf of afflicted countrymen.
Ellen Gambatese is chairwoman of South Brunswick Rallies for Relief.