Gearing up for a post-Sandy summer

Long Beach is no stranger to charity. Every September, thousands of people come to town to play in the Michelle O’Neill Foundation’s volleyball tournament to raise money for children fighting cancer.

The masses flock to our beaches again every Super Bowl Sunday to jump in the ocean with the Long Beach Polar Bears to raise money for the Make A Wish Foundation. Recently, we’ve seen an influx of mustaches in town during the month of October when men grow facial hair with Mustaches For Kids, a group that raises money for the Pediatric Cancer Care Center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. I know we’ve said it before, but to everyone who comes from near and far to support these causes, thank you.

Our community now finds itself in a situation the likes of which we have not experienced before. We, a community that loves to give, are the ones who now need help. This summer will be a crucial one — it’s the season that our town relies on after a normal winter, and we’ve just experienced anything but.

Since Hurricane Sandy hit, the outpouring of support has been tremendous. We have been strong, but the many volunteers and donors have made us stronger. They have brought food and clothing, gutted homes, donated money, and have been a source of much moral support. We appreciate it. Please keep it up, and know that we are not back to normal yet.

Anyone who drives through Long Beach will see that our local businesses are really hurting. Most of our business owners are residents who lost their homes and their stores. Insurance is slow to pay, repairs are expensive, and time spent closed means a serious lack of revenue. Even once open, post-Sandy conditions make it exceedingly difficult for a business to thrive. The patrons just aren’t there like they were before.

As a community, we cannot afford to allow these businesses to fail. These are our neighbors. These are the people who drive our local economy. They give us work and help our kids make money for college. They are the first to give of themselves when we are in need, or hold charity events for others. They help make our seaside town a destination.