Aquabilities Community Gives Back After Hurricane Sandy

My childhood friend's bedroom in Sea Bright. Notice the scum line where the water level was.

The number "5" on the house means that is is uninhabitable and slated for demolition. Imagine coming home to that.

Another Sea Bright building destroyed

The unsalvagable contents of the homes and business in the community

My grandparent's old home where I spent many summers and holidays. We are not sure whose boat that is.

The tents set up to house and feed the utility companies who came from other areas to help bring our towns back to normal.

The lunch bags that our Aquabilities kids decorated for the displaced families and volunteers helping with the recovery efforts. They were very much appreciated!

Aquabilities Community Gives Back - What We Can Do to Help

As many of you know, I was born and raised on the Jersey Shore. This is where I learned how to swim and started my lifelong career as a swim instructor when I was 15. I spent every summer at our local pool club in Oceanport, NJ, at the beach in Long Branch and Sea Bright, and at my grandparents house on the Raritan Bay in Cliffwood Beach. On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy swept through the East Coast causing more destruction that any of us have seen in our lifetimes. Homes were flooded, ripped from their foundations and torn to pieces. Sand and debris were deposited on the streets and needed to be plowed to allow passage. Power lines are still down in some areas. Utilities and infrastructure were all compromised.

I went to visit my home town and the surrounding area this past weekend. I brought some donations of cleaning supplies, food, household items, hygiene products etc. to local relief distribution centers in my area. The kids who attended swim class last Thursday helped decorate lunch bags with pictures and thoughts of hope and encouragement. We put together over 50 lunches for people in need. It was very much appreciated but the residents and volunteers who received them.

New Jersey residents are strong and determined to rebuild their lives. With our assistance, we can help restore some normalcy back to these hard hit areas. The Whitehall Dolphins is having a swim-a-thon on Tuesday November 20, 2012 to raise money for those people who need to rebuild their lives. I encourage you to sponsor one of our swimmers. Please email us for more information.

Any cash donations that we receive will be used to purchase cleaning supplies, gift cards, food, hygiene products or any other requested items. I will be getting them down there on a weekly basis. Donations by check can be made out to:

United Way of Monmouth County, Rebuild Monmouth Fund

Checks can be left with one of the instructors at the Whitehall or mailed to:

Hurricane Sandy Fundraiser,

c/o Aquabilities with Jennifer

20 Barrett Hill Road

Mahopac, NY 10541

100% of the money donated to this fund will be used in the recovery effort. If you would like, I will also bring down donations of gift cards (Home Depot, Lowes, Toys R Us, Bed Bath and Beyond etc.) to help people rebuild the lives of those who have lost everything. No amount is too small. If you would like to purchase items for me to bring to the area, I have been told that there is a need for travel size hygiene products, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, new socks and underwear, non perishable food items, etc. Distribution centers are no longer accepting clothing at this time. "Like" our Facebook page on our website www.aquabilitieswithjennifer.com and I will post updates on current items needed

Thank you to all who have offered their support, donations and well wishes. It is really nice to be able to pull together and give back in a time when the East Coast is in such great need.

All our best,

Jennifer Paolicelli and the Aquabilities Crew