Sometimes it may seem like Hartford has no heart, but I'm sure the people in tornado stricken Monson,Massachusetts have a different impression.
Unfortunately things like this don't make the "main stream" news cycles, I guess it doesn't rise to the level of sensationalism that a murder or shooting does.
Almost two weeks ago, Hartford Police Officer Mike Allen called me and asked for some help to get the word out that cardboard boxes were desperately needed for his neighbors in Monson Massachusetts whose homes had been destroyed or damaged by the tornadoes that swept through Massachusetts. I quickly agreed and then approached the next hurdle. Where could the boxes be collected?
I figured the State Armory or some place similar would work well as a drop off point. I contacted Governor Malloy's office and they also quickly went into action and in less than a half hour the State Office Building on Capitol Avenue was identified as a drop off point. Hartford DPW Director Kevin Burnham also offered a spot at the City Yard on Jennings Road as a drop off point.
Many people came forward to make it happen, state employees brought boxes to work, residents and business people dropped boxes off, my mother went around her neighborhood collecting boxes and law firms like Halloran and Halloran cleaned out their store rooms of folded file boxes. thank you to all of you
Although the "box drive" was only scheduled to go through last Friday, the boxes are still coming in. As of today, two 30 foot trailers have been filled with boxes and been delivered to Monson Massachusetts by Officer Allen. It is expected that there will be enough boxes to fill another 30 foot trailer full by the end of the week.
A few special thanks, first to Officer Allen for coming forward and being a good neighbor to his less fortunate neighbors in Monson, Mass. A very special thanks to Governor Malloy and his staff, including Shirley Surgeon, Chief of Staff Timothy Bannon, Commissioner of DPW Jonathan Holmes the building superintendents from the State office Building who facilitated the collection and the loading of the trailers and to all of their staff that helped and to Hartford DPW Director Kevin Burnham.
This is the common sense, no nonsense approach that can get things done and all of those that I mentioned above got this done in record time.
Kevin;
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job! As did officer Allen. I was in Monson myself Wednesday evening. It was heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. The energy of all those folks in spite of all the devastation is amazing. From a FB page creation of a 17 y.o. high school senior who was just trying to check on her friends and family and let them know she and her family were okay a movement so huge was created. I read that Monson is weeks ahead in recovery compared to the Joplin and other tornado's. It's because people can and did respond to material needs rather than just monetary needs that they are so far ahead. The power of the people, the little guys, kicks a*** over governmental bureaucracy. To top that off, they are passing on excess materials, volunteers and other aid to other towns like Brimfield, Sturbridge and Springfield. There was even a benefit concert in Ireland for Monson.