A place for Shore's displaced

By Ali Houshmand

As South Jersey residents rushed to top off their gas tanks, buy bottled water, and stock up on nonperishable food last weekend, close to 1,200 people from Atlantic City and surrounding communities were heading by car and bus to Rowan University. Hurricane Irene was fast approaching, and Rowan University was a Red Cross evacuation site, the first of many set up in New Jersey.

For the weekend of the hurricane, the university's Rec Center and Esby Gym were a temporary home to individuals, couples, and families. Parents and children, young and old, they slept on cots, shared meals, and tried to deal with being displaced from their own homes.

They each have stories to tell, I'm sure. And so do the more than 100 Rowan employees, friends, and neighbors who banded together, left their own homes at the height of the hurricane, and in some cases stayed the night to ensure the safety and well-being of the people who stayed with us.

Working with the Red Cross, the volunteers prepared and served food; gathered books, magazines, and games to help people pass the time; distributed toiletries and clothes; and even provided live music. It took a massive effort to make the evacuation site work, and it's hard to adequately express how thankful I am for what I witnessed.

Local medical professionals gave their time. Merchants contributed supplies. Neighbors walked in with everything from hamburgers to Huggies. And alumni showed up and asked for work to do.

These volunteers spent Friday through Sunday handling the practical needs of the evacuation center and, perhaps most important, comforting people who had been displaced. Again and again, people staying at Rowan told us how grateful they were, stopping volunteers simply to say "thank you."

I have to say "thank you" as well to our many friends and neighbors. South Jersey came together during a difficult time, and together we made a difference in many lives.