HURRICANE SANDY: YOUR DONATION TO THE RED CROSS IS NEEDED

Here in Charleston we are extremely lucky that Hurricane Sandy only skirted our area staying hundreds of miles off our coast.  If it had hit us we would be the ones without power and have businesses and homes flooded.  It looks like the main damage we suffered was limited to some coastal erosion.  Unfortunately our friends to the north have not faired so well.

Yesterday, I found myself frequently checking the coverage on the Weather Channel.  CNN was reporting on Hurricane Sandy almost exclusively.  We all watched the Hurricane approach the northeast.  It was touted as becoming a superstorm as it churned toward a front coming from the west.  Before we went to sleep people had already lost their lives.  Millions are without power and the temperatures are quite chilly.  In Breezy Point in Queens, a borough of NYC, over 50 homes are in ashes and dozens more are in danger.  Water has flooded tunnels under the East River and natural a levee in NJ failed flooding three towns.  People had to be rescued through windows.  People in trailers had climbed to their roof to escape the rising water.

We see images of a 700 ton tanker that ran aground on Staten Island and a crane on 70 story highrise dangling by cables.  At 1:30 am NYU Hospital had to be evacuated as 13 ft. of water entered their elevator shaft.  People on respirators had to have air pumped into their lungs manually. 

In West Virginia approximately 2 feet of heavy snow has fallen.  The temperature in areas of WVA feels like 18degrees.  They are worried about flooding in addition to the blizard.

Damage will be somewhere between 10 and 20 BILLION dollars.  The sixteen deaths are just the beginning of the pain and sufffering caused by this massive storm.  The power could be off for 7-10 days.  No one knows what dangers will be faced as people begin to dig out and repair the damage.

We can see the physical damage but people's lives have been impacted.  There will be human tragedies that will we played out on the tv screens in our homes over the next few days.  Before long the reporters will begin to move on and other news will replace this story.

Many of us feel helpless.  Sure, the states try to take care of its citizens.  We know the federal government will try to do what it can through FEMA but many people need help right now.  One organization can always be depended upon to be on the front lines before just about anyone else, the American Red Cross.  They mobilize before the disaster and stay helping long after the news reports shift to other stories.  Americans have always pulled together to help each other.  Most of us cannot go and physically help but we can open our hearts and our wallet to help out.  When I finish this blog, the first thing I am going to do is make a donation to the American Red Cross.  You can help too.  You don't have to give hundreds of dollars just give what you can afford.  You would be surprised the amount of help you can provide by just donating $25.  That would equal less than $.01 a day over a year.  Please dig deep and help your fellow Americans.  Its the right thing to do.

Michael Kaynard is a local photographer who lives in West Ashley.  His photos can be seen at http://kaynardphotography.webs.com.  He can be contacted at 843-412-2299 or mkaynard@gmail.com.