Light Up The Shore Hopes To Unite Victims And Responders For First Sandy Anniversary

The one year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy is nearly upon us and various Brooklyn-based groups and organizations are looking to remember the event with a candlelight vigil across the borough. Laura McKenna, the vice chair of the Brooklyn Long-Term Recovery Group and the acting executive director of the Bay Improvement Group, sent us the following message with the specifics and details of the event slated for Tuesday, October 29:

The Brooklyn Long-Term Recovery Group, with the support of the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, the Brooklyn Community Foundation, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations, invite all disaster survivors, first responders, recovery workers, and anyone else affected by Superstorm Sandy to participate on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 for “Light up the Shore,” a candle-lighting event along the Brooklyn shoreline to mark the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy and its impact on our borough.

Along with communities in Staten Island, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx, we will assemble to remember our losses and honor how our communities came together to recover and rebuild. We can each stay with our community and still be united.

Here is a link to an interactive map of locations with a description of the event on top as well as other event details.  Locations are being added as the anniversary date approaches (in Gowanus, Coney Island, Seagate, and others, so far–we’re just waiting for the details).  Click the candles for info on the lead organization and contact person is at each location. http://www.zeemaps.com/view?group=701389&x=-73.956202&y=40.650363&z=6

At all sites, survivors and organizers will begin to gather between 6:30 and 7pm.  Candles or other lights will be distributed and after a brief welcome, all lights will be lit at exactly 7:45pm, when Sandy made landfall.

The Sheepshead Bay site has already been chosen:  2801 Emmons Avenue, office of the Empower Sheepshead coalition of the Brooklyn Recovery Fund.

In addition to marking the anniversary of the disaster, we hope to encourage people to sign up for a caseworker for help with unmet needs and also to sign up for Build It Back, the deadline for which is 10/31.  Mental health professionals from Project Hope and other social services organizations with expertise in disaster counseling will be at each site to offer support.

In addition to the Sheepshead Bay location, there will also be a Brighton Beach vigil at the Shorefront Y, 3300 Coney Island Avenue at the same time.

Thanks for the info, Laura. We hope that the event draws a lot of participants to continue the effort to help people rebuild and recover from the destructive events of Sandy.

For more information about the Empower Sheepshead coalition, call  (718) 648-7703 ext. 260.