Emergency responders lead local relief efforts

BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer

Proving that those who can, do, Howell’s volunteer firemen and emergency service personnel also proved, once again, that they can be counted on in a crisis.

While many people spent the long Labor Day weekend enjoying end-of-summer picnics and parties, Howell’s emergency service responders were raising money to help boost relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

With well-placed coin toss collection points around town and some canvassing at local stores, the volunteers had raised about $50,000 as of Tuesday.

Southard Fire Company Assistant Chief Steve Hadgkiss was at the helm of the effort that began in earnest just two days after the devastation that occurred not just in New Orleans, but throughout the entire gulf region.

Gathered in the meeting room of the Southard firehouse, Hadgkiss as coordinator was joined by personnel from the township’s emergency services units and representatives of the Howell Chamber of Commerce.

Hadgkiss said he and the others decided to organize an assistance effort after a flurry of e-mails were exchanged among local emergency personnel whose nature it is to want to do something when a disaster strikes.

The organizations involved in the fund-raising effort were the Squankum Fire Company, the Adelphia Fire Company, the Southard Fire Department, the Ramtown-Howell Fire Company, the Freewood Acres Fire Company, the Farmingdale-Howell First Aid Squad, the Howell First Aid Squad, the Ramtown First Aid Squad, the Howell Office of Emergency Management and the Howell P.B.A.

Hadgkiss said that in keeping with federal, state and county advice and guidance, it was decided that at this point in time all of the township agencies would collect money to donate rather than goods.

He said that in addition to the money collected in the roadside coin tosses, the $50,000 amount included money collected by groups of children who, on their own, walked around their neighborhoods to collect money for the hurricane relief effort.

Hadgkiss said many of Howell’s emergency responders wanted to travel to the affected areas, but were advised by federal, state and county agencies that personnel were not being requested for such assistance at this time.

He said the community’s fantastic response over the Labor Day weekend led the volunteers to increase their initial goal of raising $50,000 to $100,000.

“This is a goal that can and will be met. We plan on going out and working as long as needed to hit the $100,000 mark,” he said, adding that a drive to secure supplies for the people affected by the hurricane will begin soon.

Hadgkiss said he and Dr. Hal Ornstein, a Howell podiatrist who has initiated many local philanthropic efforts, will be coordinating a goods drive through the Chamber of Commerce, of which Ornstein is a past president.

Hadgkiss said signs will be posted to alert residents where they can donate the goods that will be requested.

Anyone who is interested in donating money to Howell’s hurricane relief fund can write a check payable to Southard Fire Department Relief Fund and mail it to Southard Fire Department, P.O. Box 2, Howell 07731.