The Franzini Family
Lambertville
Hurricane Irene has come and gone. However, we are fortunate in Lambertville to have a great community of volunteers, neighbors and friends who are here to stay.
Although the Delaware River did not flood, the residents and businesses on Ferry, Swan and South Union streets and several other neighborhoods in town were devastated by the unexpected surge of water that came barreling down Swan Creek and adjacent streets, and into our homes and businesses. Fortunately, there were many volunteers who worked through the night to rescue people and continued to work in the following days helping their neighbors clean up from the aftermath of the flood waters.
In particular, we would like to thank Lester and Vern, who assisted to transport people in the height of the flood on South Union Street. They were joined by policemen and firemen who helped residents leave their homes, and volunteers who drove a school bus to bring people to a shelter in town. The fire companies went throughout town to pump out people’s basements, even when some of their own homes experienced water damage. The police officers rode through the neighborhoods to ensure our homes were safe during the required evacuation. The city workers had double duty removing trash and recycling in addition to the debris from the flood. Volunteers also manned the phones at City Hall to answer residents’ questions.
There were numerous individuals and businesses who helped us and the South Union/Swan/Ferry Street neighborhood including Donna Lelie and Tim Dahlstrom; Debbie Wean; Ed and Pam Berchtold; Nancy Silvestri; the Closson, Jensen, Stout and Meyers families; Dan and Michael DiSalvi; Alan Horton and The Inn of the Hawke. To all of you we say: thank you!
Finally, we would like to thank the many South Hunterdon recent graduates and current students who came to our neighborhood on Sunday and Monday. In particular, recently graduated students who both brought their trucks and helped move furniture: Zach Tettemer, Ray Brown, Rhett Warner, and Dave Varela. In addition, current South Hunterdon students volunteered numerous hours on both Sunday and Monday, including Karli Ribsam, Grace Dienes, Brailee Silvestri, Dane Silvestri, Brian Slack, Grant Jensen, Max Whitaker, Jake Whitaker, Peter Mercer Pontier, Andrew Immordino and Eric Schroder. The Lambertville/West Amwell/Stockton communities and the South Hunterdon Regional High School should be proud we have such dedicated, helpful and compassionate students, who volunteered to help residents in need.
Irene, we are glad you are gone.
Lambertville community, friends and neighbors, we are glad you came out, once again, to assist all of us through another flood.
Thank you all for your help!