NEWSDAY.COM
February 17, 2006
 The Rev. Barbara E. Melzer remembered driving into Biloxi, Miss., with a team of rescuers in October and being overwhelmed by the devastation.
Two months before, Hurricane Katrina had hit the southern coast of the country and swallowed entire towns. "We were dead silent," she said as their convoy of cars and trucks made their way through the streets. "It looked like a bomb had dropped."
Melzer, who spent a week with others from the United Methodist Committee on Relief demolishing and rebuilding homes in the area and offering pastoral help, was among more than 150 people honored at an awards ceremony last night for their efforts.
The ceremony, held at the Syosset Fire District headquarters, was the brainchild of state Sen. Carl L. Marcellino (R-Syosset). Through a mailing, his office asked for names of volunteers who were involved in the rescue and recovery efforts for Hurricane Katrina.
"We had such a large number of people in the area ... [who] went down there or raised money," said Marcellino. "So we figured, why not say thank you?"
Volunteers ranged from individuals who spearheaded fundraising to others who dropped everything and headed down.
Brian Washburn, who was part of the FEMA medical response team and is a North Shore University Hospital paramedic, spent two weeks in a New Orleans hospital inoculating people every day.
"These people have lost everything," he said.
Michael Rothbard and Kathleen Bodily, founders of the Inter-Media Art Center in Huntington, held a recent benefit concert that raised $23,000. Rothbard said they normally don't hold benefits, but they said, "Maybe we should bend the rules on this one."
See the proclamation
See the program
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.
Back to Press |
