Village Unveils Monument for Volunteers at Shore Road Park

Nearly a year to the day Hurricane Sandy struck Long Island and brought about the outpouring of support that led to so many volunteer efforts throughout the area, the Village of Lindenhurst formally thanked all of those who pitched in following the storm last October with a monument dedicated at Shore Road Park.

"'When Mother Nature was at its worst, Human Nature was at its best,'" the monument reads. "Dedicated with deep appreciation to the volunteers who provided humanitarian relief at Camp Bulldog and throughout Lindenhurst in the wake of Superstorm Sandy."

The park, located in the southern most part of Lindenhurst, was the focal point for the relief efforts that came together after the storm, including the green sweatshirt-wearing saviors known as Camp Bulldog.

"We're here to today to actually salute all of you – the volunteers," said Mayor Thomas Brennan during the ceremony. "You were here for all of our residents."

Brennan recalled the night of the storm with the continuously rising waters, the blaze that destroyed a home on South Sixth Street and the night that never seemed to end. But the change, he said, was immediate as the community came together as the waters receded.

"It was amazing," he said. "There were more people involved here from throughout the world... from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank every single one of you for doing what you did."

Camp Bulldog was the biggest volunteer effort to pop up directly after Hurricane Sandy, setting up tables with hot food, cleaning supplies and giving residents a break – and in some cases, a hug – when they needed it the most.

"It kept moving forward – and we got bigger and bigger," said Andrea Curran, who spoke on behalf of the Camp Bulldog volunteers. "Everyone who came into the tent just kept asking 'what can I do to help?'"

Even after getting a job, the volunteers always came back – and sometimes with a new friend to help out.

"Everyone knew whoever walked in the tent, when they broke down and cried... we'd wrap our arms around them and tell them we'd get them through this," Curran recalled.

Curran praised Adopt-A-House and Lindy Manpower for their efforts in the village as well, noting how the three groups were a tremendous caring group for everyone in the flood zone.

"It was just a tremendous display of what a wonderful community Lindenhurst is," said Curran. "When you come from Lindenhurst, you come from a big heart."