Nov 13, 2012 4 min read

Residents of a storm-ravaged New York City area community got something Monday they have been waiting for ever since Hurricane Sandy blew through two weeks ago – some relief.

A 26-foot truck from Allied Van Lines in Meadow Lands, Chartiers Township, rolled into the Rockaways in Queens Borough just before noon Monday. The truck with supplies ranging from coats and clothing to water, toiletries, paper goods and even a few bags of pet food was all thanks to a North Strabane Township woman, her family, friends and strangers, as well as the power of Facebook.

It all started 10 days ago when Kevinda Strimel, wife of police Chief Dan Strimel, got a text message from her niece in Highlands, N.J., asking for coats and blankets. The Jersey shore town was among the areas hit hard by the storm.

Kevinda Strimel, along with her daughters, Nicole Strimel Terling and Danielle Strimel Bombash, put the request out on their Facebook pages.

“I thought we’d get a few boxes of things that I could send out through UPS,” Kevinda Strimel said Monday. “Later that day, my garage was filled. It would have cost a fortune to ship, so I started looking into renting a van to deliver the clothing.”

Strimel’s husband and their friend, Debbie Curnarski, spent several cold nights sorting through the clothing dropped off at their garage and packed it in boxes. Donations continued to roll in, prompting her to inquire about a larger van. It was not long before it became apparent not even a large van would be able to handle the load.

Judy Miller, the police department secretary at North Strabane, started to call van lines to see if any would be willing to help out. It only took one call, to Tom Cowden of Allied, to find help. Cowden offered not only the truck, but a driver.

After her niece advised her they had received assistance, Strimel and her daughters started looking for other storm areas in need of help. They contacted a Hurricane Sandy assistance program and learned of the Rockaways.

Last Wednesday, Miller’s husband, Harry, along with Dan Strimel, township police Detectives Dan Levi and John Wybranowski and son-in-law Tom Bombash loaded up a trailer and Miller’s truck. The goods were brought over to the North Strabane Township building. Township manager Frank Siffrinn agreed to allow the building to be used for collection and storage of the donations.

Volunteers along with police, firefighters and Steve Mayne, who works for the township, helped sort through the countless boxes. The men’s, women’s, children’s and infant clothing was separated into sizes. Kevinda Strimel, who suffers from a back injury that prevented her from assisting with the physical work, relied on Curnarski, Miller and friends like Becky Jethani, as well as Amy Cook and Sharalyn McDonald, who work at District Judge Jay Weller’s office, to help. Strimel’s boss, District Judge David Mark, also offered help.

“All the help made everything go quickly and smoothly. We never turned anything away,” Kevinda Strimel said. “We got things from as far away as Cranberry and West Virginia. We wanted to make sure the truck was full.”

Township parks director Greg Sulc donated toilet paper and paper towels. Businesses donated everything from cases of water to boxes and packing tape. They also received donations of medical supplies, batteries, flashlights, toiletry items and food.

“Everyone was so happy to help. They were all smiling,” Strimel said.

Her daughters spent hours on the phone, coordinating where the items would be delivered. On Friday, the truck was loaded. The driver left Sunday for the Rockaways.

“They had received no help at all. Ours was the first truck in to help them,” Strimel said. “People heard it was coming, and they were waiting.”

About 25 percent of the community lives in subsidized housing. Many other residents are elderly or ill, she said. And some residents are hard-working members of the middle class.

“We also sent things like diapers and diaper rash ointment, because they were in dire need of those items,” Strimel said. “One woman said she would be happy with a fresh pair of socks to wear.”

One of the assistance workers told Strimel some of the food would be given to members of a Occupy group who were preparing food for the storm victims.

“They had run out of food to prepare,” Strimel explained.

Strimel was touched by the generosity and how quickly it all came together.

“A lot of people here are going through hard times, too” Strimel said. “It was so heartwarming watching people give like they did. And the smiles. There were just so many who helped, too many to mention.”