The Sandy Ground: Where Angels Play ~ Honoring the 26 Victims of the Newtown, CT Shootings

Almost 365 days ago, a madman opened fire on innocent children, administrators, and teachers at a school in bucolic Newtown, Connecticut. I can remember running out to do an errand that morning and coming home to the horrific news on TV.

20 first graders and 6 adult staff members were killed that morning. It was the second deadliest mass shooting by a single person in American history.

As a result of the shootings, gun control debates have been waged, parents have debated the safety of their children's schools, and schools have beefed up security measures in an effort to prevent future attacks.

But what could be done to memorialize the innocent victims of such senseless killings?

One group, the foundation that created The Sandy Ground: Where Angels Play stepped up to the challenge. The Sandy Ground began by building playgrounds for children who lost their favorite places to play during Hurricane Katrina.

Last fall when Hurricane Sandy struck the coastal areas of New York and New Jersey, the foundation once again set out to raise money to replace playgrounds that were destroyed by Sandy.

Today, the foundation has a goal of building 26 playgrounds, one to honor each victim of the Newtown, CT shootings and to breathe life back into communities devastated by Sandy. The foundation in conjunction with local communities and the help of volunteers has completed construction on 13 playgrounds along the coasts of Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey.

This video tells the inspiring story behind The Sandy Ground.



It's easy to feel helpless at times like these, but there are ways you can help. For information on any of the below initiatives, visit http://www.thesandygroundproject.org/

• Volunteer at one of the playground sites.
• Make a monetary donation.
• Support the Sandy Store (a gold bell holiday ornament is available for purchase for $5).
• Attend a fundraiser or organize one of your own.

In my neighboring town of Manasquan, Sandy hit hard. She wiped out homes in the coastal community and destroyed the beautiful beach. Thanks to the generosity of volunteers and The Sandy Ground, the beach where we spend our summer days has a new playground in memory of Olivia Engel, one of the 20 first graders who were killed on December 14, 2013 in Newtown.

At the time of the shootings, I was a parent of a first grader. I couldn't help but to identify with the grieving parents of the victims. And at the same time, I couldn't imagine what they were going through.

The playgrounds built by The Sandy Ground are a way for these communities to rebuild and remember.

For more information, you can find The Sandy Ground on the Web and on Facebook.

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Hurricane Sandy ~ One Year Later Children Are Still Struggling to Cope

It was exactly one year ago today that Hurricane Sandy struck the coastal areas of New Jersey and New York with a vengeance. She pummeled the beautiful landscapes until they were unrecognizable.

She didn't let up until she had completely leveled towns. Boardwalks that just a few weeks earlier were alive with tourists looked like war zones. Beaches that were filled with laughter and sea gulls were eerily quite.

As a resident of the Jersey shore, I am hard pressed to find someone who wasn't somehow affected by the storm. My family wasn't displaced, but we suffered without power for 6 days, which seemed like 60. My daughters' school was closed for weeks. We had no Halloween. No little creatures ringing our doorbell last year looking for goodies.

I can't help but to think about the thousands of children living in these coastal areas who suffered the brunt of Sandy's wrath.

365 days later, there are still children who are coping with the devastating and destructive effects of Sandy. From basic care to the comforts of home, the worlds of so many children have been turned upside down.

 

The reality is that disasters occur, and unfortunately, most are at the hands of Mother Nature and are thus, unpreventable.

However, what we can change is how we prepare for and deal with the disaster in its aftermath.

Save The Children has started an initiative called Get Ready. Get Safe in an effort to help communities prepare for worst-case scenarios. Whether it's emergency plans or gathering supplies, Save The Children and Get Ready. Get Safe puts plans in place to protect our children.

We can't prevent disasters, but with the help of Save The Children, we can be ready.

Take a look at how Save The Children has helped in Sandy recovery efforts so far.

Are you prepared for the next disaster? Save The Children can help you get organized and ready with this plan and checklist. It's a must for any home. I printed it out immediately. A checklist like this would have been helpful to have last October as we prepared for Sandy's landfall.

For more information on Save The Children's Get Ready. Get Safe initiative, visit the Web site. You can make a donation, print checklists, find out if your state is prepared for a disaster, and get updates on Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

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Six Months Post-Hurricane Sandy: Still Sifting and Shifting #jerseylove

Six months ago today, the residents of coastal New Jersey were rocked by Hurricane Sandy. As she pounded the coastline, we were left scurrying to get out of her way.

She came with a vengeance and left with the hopes, dreams, and in many cases, houses and possessions of so many.

Today, it's not difficult to hop in your car and drive a quarter mile, 1/2 mile, or maybe even 2 miles without seeing some sort of remnant of Sandy. Although she took so much from us, she left so much behind.

In the six months since Sandy made her unwelcomed visit to the unparalleled Jersey shore, one thing stands out above all else: COMMUNITY.

Above all the destruction, there emerged a huge sense of community and a support network that only a tragedy such as Hurricane Sandy can bring. In the minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months that followed Sandy, the residents rallied around each other.

Those who lost everything comforted each other. Those who lost nothing comforted those who lost everything. Strangers came from towns as far away as the opposite coast to donate food and supplies, clean up debris, and offer a shoulder to cry on.

Anyone who was able to help generously offered help. Anyone who needed help took the help that was offered. Those without power were offered a hot meal and a warm bed by those who had power restored in their homes.

It was the worst time to be from the Jersey shore. It was the best time to be from the Jersey shore.

Six months later, there are still piles of destroyed possessions at the curb sides. There is a house in the bay. There is a town where mail delivery resumed just this week.

Life is still anything but normal in these parts. But slowly, normalcy is being restored. People are moving back into their homes. Businesses are opening their doors again. Boardwalks are being rebuilt.

This summer, more than any other, I am proud to be a Jersey girl.

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My Feature Interview in Meridian HealthViews

I've been blogging for Meridian Momtourage for almost a year. I love the site, primarily for the support that I receive and the support that I give other readers. The concept is fantastic.

So, when I was asked to be interviewed for an upcoming publication, I was so honored. I've been an avid user of the site, and to know that my input was appreciated and highly regarded was such a boost for me.

A few days ago, I retrieved my mail from the box as I normally would. I placed the pile on the kitchen island and soon forgot about it. A few hours later, I browsed the pile and noticed that this month's publication of Meridian HealthViews was amidst the envelopes and magazine. I did a double take and quickly realized that this could be THE publication that features my interview.

I furiously paged through and found this:

http://www.meridianhealth.com/MH/HealthInformation/Publications/HealthViewsMagazine/2011/septoct/MeridianConnectsLocalMomsOnline.cfm

I've been reading HealthViews for years, and never would I have ever thought I'd be featured!

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Mom bloggers in the news

There are 35+ million women who either write, read or comment on blogs. As that number continues to grow, negativity in the mom blogger community grows as well. NBC's Today show recently featured two prominent women in the blogging community and their thoughts on the dark side of mom blogs.



My personal philosophy on commenting is that if you can't respond with a respectful comment, do not comment at all. Sure, there will always be issues and opinions with which we disagree, but is it necessary to voice those oppositions? I don't think so, but obviously, others disagree. I welcome all comments even those that may not be in agreement with those voiced in my posts. But I will remove any comments that are rude or disrepectful.

There is an overwhelming amount of support and empathy in the mom blogging community that far outweighs the negativity. I appreciate other's opinions, ideas and approaches to parenting, and hope that any visitors to my blog would do the same for me.

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