Thursday, December 6, 2012
The Lacey United Methodist Church continues to house nine people
When Tom and Lisa Pollaro returned to their Sunrise Beach home days after Hurricane Sandy struck, it was uninhabitable. The Barnegat Bay had surged into their home leaving little to recover. “We went to the police station and said we’re homeless,” Lisa Pollaro, 49, said. The couple was directed to the Lacey United Methodist Church, a place that had become a safe haven for locals offering showers, laundry machines, food, supplies and a place to sleep. One month later, the shelter has become a home for some, including the Pollaros. Over a penne pasta and chicken nugget dinner, the new dwellers of the church joked and exchanged stories. Nine people are still staying at the church as their homes sustained severe flood damage. More than 30 were…
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
The church will be serving a Thanksgiving Day meal at 1 p.m.
Although the number of meals served at the Lacey United Methodist Church has been decreasing, the church still remains open as a shelter and will be serving a Thanksgiving Day meal at 1 p.m. “We’re still open as long as we’re needed,” Pastor Linda Applegate said. Currently seven families that were displaced due to Hurricane Sandy are staying at the church, she said. “We’re focusing on the families staying here,” she said. But the church continues to do outreach to those who need assistance and has teams working on homes. Last weekend, the church had teams from out of state. Volunteers are still welcomed. Applegate also asks for local unemployed carpenters and contractors to give some time, she said. Many homes need professional help. The …
Friday, November 9, 2012
Local nonprofit animal rescue organization is collecting donations for Hurricane Sandy rescue animals as well as those who need assistance caring for pets after the storm
Popcorn Park continues to assist in locating pets and reuniting them with their owners after Hurricane Sandy, General Manager John Bergmann said. “We started getting calls to get animals people left behind,” he said. The nonprofit animal rescue organization has traveled across the Jersey Shore, including Seaside and Long Beach Island, to save everything from hamsters and ferrets to dogs and cats. “They’re still rescuing now,” he said. “They’ll be doing it for a while.” By the time Popcorn Park arrived at the homes, the storm surge from Sandy receded. Dogs were territorial, he said. “You’re a stranger,” he said. “They’re scared. Their owners aren’t there.” Some of the homes were severely damaged and there were times they had to go through …
Monday, November 5, 2012
The Lacey Elks Lodge and Camp Bow Wow are now open to those residents in need
Currently 3,720 Lacey residents are still without power after Hurricane Sandy pummeled through the area, according to JCP&L’s recent restoration estimates. “Those residents still without power, we are working with JCP&L. The yare out there working,” Municipal Clerk and Township Administrator Veronica Laureigh said in an update. Since Sandy hit, JCP&L has served 13,068 residents. Although 28 percent of the township remains without power, the JCP&L restored electricity for 2,659 residents on Monday. Approximately 842 residents had power restored on Sunday and 1,790 on Saturday. JCP&L is confident power will be 100 percent restored to those areas that are not compromised, Laureigh said. Meters are being pulled from homes that cannot be …
Friday, November 2, 2012
The Lacey United Methodist Church will be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday
Loren Delutri’s eyes teared as she packed toiletries at the Lacey United Methodist Church. The church is filled with donations of supplies and clothing for those residents in need. “It’s reassuring that swarms of people are donating stuff,” Delutri said. “And it’s good stuff…People are going out and spending their money in this bad economy.” A tree hit Delutri’s home during the storm. She still doesn’t have power and with an autistic child, she needed a secure and warm place to stay and that’s at the United Methodist Church where she is also volunteering. “The best thing that I can do is stay here and help out,” she said. The number of families staying at the church is hard to say because people are in and out—many have been invited to …
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Approximately 8,908 Lacey residents remain without power
Community Hall will open again on Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for residents who need to warm up and charge their electronic devices. As of 8 p.m., approximately 8,908 Lacey residents remain without electricity, according to the JCP&L outage map. Waterfront areas still have restricted access to residents only, Township Administrator and Municipal Clerk Veronica Laureigh said. Police personnel may stop cars and ask for identification. “The police are monitoring neighborhoods,” Laureigh said. The police department has received calls of suspicious persons in areas but there have been no confirmed reports of looting, she said. “The police along with assistance from other agencies are out in the neighborhoods,” she said. Important Alerts: …
Church offers hot showers, meals, laundry services and a place to sleep
On Monday night, when Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New Jersey, over 30 people were sheltered in Lacey at the United Methodist Church on Lacey Road, said Sandy Stenstrom, a shelter volunteer. "People have been stopping in all week to charge phones, grab breakfast or lunch," she said. "We got a nice sense of community on Monday night." Eric DeLaCruz, another shelter volunteer, said that the shelter will be open as long as the community needs. "We have hot showers, hot meals, and laundry services for anyone who needs," he said. "If you are home without power, we are here to help." DeLaCruz said the shelter is accepting donations to help those in need and have already recieved calls. "A woman called earlier today and asked what we needed…
39.84431
-74.194307
Lacey United Methodist Church
203 Lacey Rd, Forked River, NJ
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1222194
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Teacher4life
9:22 pm on Thursday, December 6, 2012
The LUMC is a role model for others in our town. They did not wait for the township to direct them, they were move to action through faith and need. They did not worry about the liability, but put the people of our town first. The Village Lutheran Church and their free tree removal and cutting followed on the same wings! It is wonderful that we have these people and forces in our town when we are… more ›