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JAMESBURG: Chapel fills with donations after Irene

Volunteers offer free haircuts and more

David Kilby, Managing Editor
   JAMESBURG — A group of volunteers from Jamesburg helped, and are still helping, Hurricane Irene flood victims in every way they can, including through an otherwise quiet Facebook group and by offering free haircuts.
   On Sunday several different barber and beauty shops donated free haircuts for flood victims at the Jamesburg Elks Club on West Railroad Avenue. Sponsored by the group Jamesburg-Neighbors Helping Neighbors, begun by Darren Larsen, the charity event brought beauticians and barbers from as far away as Aberdeen, Parlin and Metuchen.
   The purpose of the event was for children to get needed haircuts for school, but many parents and adults got their haircuts for free, as well.
   ”Jamesburg kids needed to go back to school, and feel good about themselves and hold their heads high,” Mr. Larsen said.
   He said he called up Tara Johnson, a hairdresser he knew.
   ”She was already working the phones to get hairdressers (to offer free haircuts). It got to the point where they said bring the adults in and anyone who wanted a haircut got a haircut for free. We put a sign up for free haircuts. We weren’t always getting the victims of the flooding but we weren’t going to judge people.”
   The free haircuts went on from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, and from 40 to 45 free haircuts were given.
   Romero’s Pizzeria and Café Napoli donated pizzas and McDonald’s in East Windsor donated toys. “This whole experience has been eye opening and life changing for many,” Mr. Larsen said.
   But the haircuts were just the beginning of the story. About 60 volunteers have been helping out at Cavalry Chapel, donating time, needed items and money. The chapel will be open for at least another week from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. for any family that is in need.
   Mr. Larsen started the group Neighbors Helping Neighbors on Facebook two years ago.
   ”It’s been the center of our activity right now. It’s where people are getting their information. I was in the right place at the right time to put this together.”
   He said he originally started the group with the intent to bring people’s talents together so they can help other people more effectively with those talents. He said the group has had a résumé writing service available, but not much else.
   ”(Neighbors Helping Neighbors) never really materialized,” Mr. Larsen said. “A lot of people were working overtime and taking care of families.”
   He continued, “After the hurricane I made one post and it just took off. People are actually messaging me from as far away as Ohio.”
   The Facebook group is used to coordinate what’s needed and how people can help. For example, people have been messaging through the group asking for garbage pickup, since they have so much due to the storm. Mr. Larsen said there are still people who have been helping to pick up the storm garbage.
   ”It’s been a place where people can find out what they can do,” he said. “Volunteers have been posting, saying ‘We’re OK with clothing, now we need cleaning supplies.’ It’s a place for people to say I have a couch or bed. Some can come pick it up.”
   He added, “It’s been an outpouring, It’s overwhelming.”
   Many of the small stories the volunteers experienced were worth the sacrifice of time and energy. For instance, a 9-year-old boy emptied out his pockets and gave the volunteers $4.30, and they said they’ll make sure another child gets the money and gets something for themselves.
   Mr. Larsen compared the generosity of the people of Jamesburg after Hurricane Irene to that of the people who came together after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks 10 years ago.
   ”We still have displaced families living throughout the county,” he said. “We have several in our town. They just can’t come back to home yet. So we have kids starting school from friends’ houses or hotel rooms.”
   Mr. Larsen, who lives on Pergola Avenue, lost everything in his basement.
   ”We all got hit, but we’re taking care of ourselves. That’s the way it should be. The volunteers are just phenomenal. The Elks opened up the doors to us. The first day we had maybe a couple tables. The second day half the hall was filled, and by the third day the entire hall was filled.”
   When The Elks Lodge had to continue its own commitments, the donated items were sent to Calvary Chapel, on Half Acre Road.
   On Monday morning, Boy Scouts came and within 15 minutes they had everything up in Calvary Chapel. About 60 people helped out that day, bringing things in, sorting through it.
   The Calvary Chapel is now open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
   The Neighbors Helping Neighbors group has 145 members.
   ”You could not have had job interviews and hired better people,” Mr. Larsen said.
   The supply bank at Calvary Chapel is also open to flood victims in Monroe, Spotwood and Helmetta.
   ”Monroe has a pretty good handle on what they’re doing, but there are several people still displaced in Spotswood and Helmetta,” he said.
   Even Mr. Larsen is amazed by the helpfulness of the Facebook group.”Who could have known that it would be used in this way?”
   It has given flood victims in Jamesburg a point of contact, and given them a chance to share their stories. “We’ve cried with these people,” Mr. Larsen said. “They come in and sometimes they just want you to listen. They’ll show you the pictures of all the stuff they lost. I lost stuff in my basement but I looked down the road and saw people taking things out of (the upper level of) their houses.”
   Tammy Genthe is one of the volunteers at Calvary Chapel.
   ”The (Neighbors Helping Neighbors) community has been a tremendous help in donating supplies and getting the word out to people in town,” she said. “We have families stopping by daily for clothes, food, hygiene products, small appliances, dishes. Anything we have they do take. It’s been a very enlightening experience.”
   Ms. Genthe has been volunteering at the Calvary Chapel from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
   ”Every day is running into each other at this point. I tell anybody, any way you want to give back, volunteer, just volunteer. It’s just such an experience. I brought my daughter here, and some of the stories she heard changed her life. And they certainly changed mine. I’ve had so many people come in here, children giving their allowance away, children giving to other children. And it’s just so heartwarming, and it’s not just children in our community. They come from all over.
   ”We just want all the families to know they can come on in. We’re here to help them. Our heart aches for them.”