184 Days of Pain

An area television station says it is ‘Recovery Day 184’ since New Jerseys’ devastation by Hurricane Sandy/Super Storm Sandy.  Many people are still not able to put their lives back together.

Good I wasn’t put in charge of a multi-million dollar fund raised and on hand to help victims of Super Storm Sandy.  The fund has been talked about but mainly, not spent.  By now, I would have disbursed as much of it as possible to help the helpless.  I would have been sufficiently generous to so many, no doubt, there would be calls for investigating my work.  I would have been impetuous, but also a prolific record keeping administrator.  I wouldn’t be afraid.

Yesterday was the six-month anniversary of the storms’ smashing into New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.  Remember?  It was October 29, 2012.

These days, TV and print news periodically tell heart-rending stories of individuals and families struggling to get their lives back together.  I just barely hold back the tears. I clearly remember how treacherous a mere four days without power - electricity and heat - were for me.

Just today, New Jersey’s governor reports something like only 10% of New Jerseyans who suffered storm related abused living conditions remain so – are living in compromised conditions.  Would even that be if I had the responsibility to disburse millions of dollars contributed and now held in accounts waiting for the most perfect way to help Sandy victims? 

I don’t think so.  You see, I wouldn’t give a hockey puck how politicians and media might question my committee’s distribution decisions and my leadership.

Hopefully the next few weeks will see more of those dollars distributed.  Hopefully those funds will soon bring comfort, peace of mind and overall well-being to many who should be given assistance  without further delay.

184 days is far too long for families and individuals to remain in pain when there are millions of dollars available to help.

What do you think?