Locals Rally to Help Neighbors in Need

Over the years students from Howell, volunteering as members of the Police Athletic League have travelled all over the country to help those in need. This week the students provided help closer to home than many of them likely ever expected to. 

This past Saturday they were among the volunteers helping to load and deliver sand bags before the arrival of Hurricane Irene. On Friday, with school just around the corner the middle school and high school students were at the cul-de-sac of Mariners Cove helping residents clean out their house not only from Irene, but from flooding the week before that did plenty of damage on its own.

With equipment provided by the township, the volunteers were seen moving everything from televisions to couches to any number of other household items that were loaded into the dumpsters on the street. 

Sgt. Chris Hill of the Howell Police Department who works with the PAL students said this week's efforts were a combination of his organization, the board of education, the Office of Emergency Management and the township to help the residents in need. "We get together to take care of our residents and that's what we need to do," he said. The group started their work on Thursday and will continue into Saturday. Hill said in just one day he was able to bring together a group of 100 volunteers.

It may be known as the Police Athletic League, but Hill said sports are just one part of the organization's role in the township. "What we talk to them about is volunteering and community service and how important it is to give back," he said. "It makes you feel better as a person and it makes you a better person."

The crew from the PAL has made several stops around town to help with the cleaning efforts and Hill said the feedback they have gotten has been positive. "The residents have all come up to thank me and I said don't thank me, thank them," he said of the students doing the work. 

One member of the PAL group helping on Friday was program coordinator Jamie Szyarto, who was at one time a student member of the organization. She said it was great to see such a strong turnout from the current members. "The more people that we get the word out to that we need help, the next day they're here helping," she said. "It's not hard to get volunteers because they like giving back to the community."

One of the parent volunteers, Paddy Chehanske said she was glad members of the soccer team she coaches were able to help on Friday. "There's a handful out here and that makes all the difference." She said the volunteers she had out had originally planned to go to places like Six Flags Great Adventure or the beach, but opted instead to help their fellow Howell residents. Chehanske said the reaction the volunteers has made the work worthwhile. "They're just grateful," she said. "Some of them would rather be the ones helping and they're having a hard time accepting the help because that's not their nature."

Board of Education President Timothy O'Brien said he was glad to see the students helping others in the community especially as the summer winds down. "It's a great example of volunteerism," he said. "It teaches them the right principles that we have to help each other. The more folks get involved, the more we build our sense of community through this type of activity, the better off we are."

Also helping on Friday was Ron Sanasac, the director of the OEM. Sanasac said the work being done was just another step in a long process to help the residents. The next step was to be a tour by FEMA inspectors with the hope of getting the residents federal funding to help them move on from the devastation of the storm. 

That one development alone has been hit hard over the past few weeks. Sanasac said nine houses were damaged by the rain storm two weeks ago. That number was more than tripled by the hurricane. "There's quite a bit of damage," he said. "Some of these houses haven't even started the [cleaning] process yet, so there's still going to be more."

There was good news for the township as a whole on Friday as Sanasac said most of the power had been restored to residents. Most of the roads, including Fort Plains Rd. were also at or close to their regular capacity.

Township Manager Helene Schlegel also announced on Friday in an email to residents that brush pickup will begin on Tuesday. She said the crews will go through each neighborhood only one time and that because of the extensive nature of the damage cleanup will likely last several weeks. The Township Recycling Center will also be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for those who can bring their brush to the center.