Local Residents Serve Sandy Victims

Donna Novack has taught in the Deer Park School District for 27 years. Even though the schools are closed, she is still showing up to work. This time, as a local volunteer for the Red Cross.

"I never thought I would see people sleeping here," she said of the more than 100 people who have moved their lives to a cot at the Robert Frost Middle School in Deer Park, where she works as a special education teaching assistant.

When Novack got her power back a few days after the storm, she knew she wanted to help her community. "I felt sad looking around and seeing all of the damage. I was struck by seeing people standing in line for gas and by how dark it is at night."

She headed down to the Middle School on Sunday to help serve dinner, which was donated by Miller's Ale House in Deer Park.

"I never thought I would be on this side of the serving counter," she said after cleaning the table tops to prepare for the evening meal.

Novack was joined by two other local volunteers. Alexa Fichetti from Huntington and Courtney Attonito from Deer Park decided they couldn't sit home while others didn't have one.

"I don't have heat or electricity at my house, but I can't complain because I still have a house. I feel horrible for the people who lost their homes," Fichetti said. 

She's staying at Attonito's house until power in restored in Huntington.

"The first thing I said when I walked in was 'Wow, I used to be a student here," Attonito said. "Hopefully we can be of some help."

The three local volunteers helped to serve more than 100 people, who are staying at the Red Cross shelter that night.