“It’s not about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” Rocky Balboa once said this, but I doubt anyone would ever have compared it to New Jersey’s resilience after Hurricane Sandy.
On October 25, 2012 Hurricane Sandy hit on the east coast of New Jersey. One of the worst storms northeast had seen in years. The storm ripped houses off the ground, destroyed beaches and left the JerseyShoreas we know it completely eradicated. Thousands were left homeless and many are still migrating from place to place even now.
But they don’t call it Jersey Strong for nothing. Residents in devastated towns have already rolled up and begun rebuilding. Organizations from around the state and the country have worked non-stop to restore the shore and bring residents back to their homes. One organization Waves 4 Water has stated “Waves 4 Water has coordinated a Sandy Relief initiative usually we are focused on providing clean water but with this we will be supporting on many levels.”
Another amazing story that has come out recently is that local NJ brewery Flying Fish has created a brand new pale-ale called “FU Sandy.” 100 percent of the profits will go to help with Sandy Relief. The new beer will be featured in bars and pubs across New Jersey and in the Philadelphia area.
Volunteers from religious organizations are also hard at work. Catholic parishioners from New Hampshirecame together to raise $165,500 in Sandyrelief. Also the Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod has put together a mission with thousands of volunteers who have the opportunity to travel every Friday, Saturday and Sunday to devastated areas to assist with reconstruction. It is a great feeling as a New Jersey resident to see other states coming to our aid to get things back on track here.
Sadly, the federal government has had major difficulties with passing a relief package within the House and Senate. Governor Christie was originally pushing for a $60 billion relief package, but Congress was hesitant on the request due to the mishandling of funds in Louisianaafter Hurricane Katrina. In the Huffington Post, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said. “A tragedy like Hurricane Sandy shouldn’t be used for a grab-bag of spending.” New Jersey and other affected areas are hoping the House of Representatives approved a $50 billion relief package for Sandy victims.
In other news, the 12/12/12 concert that was held in MadisonSquareGardenwas a great success. It featured classic musicians such as Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton, legendary rock band The Rolling Stones and more present day talents such as Kanye West and Alicia Keys. One of the biggest moments of the night was when New Jerseynatives John Bon Jovi and Bruce Springstein took the stage together to collaborate in a spectacular performance. At the end of the night, the concert brought in $30 million from ticket sales alone reported Forbes.com.
