STANDISH, ME - The Saint Joseph's College athletics department and men's soccer program worked in conjunction with surrounding community members to offer support for a family that was displaced by Hurricane Sandy in Staten Island, New York last week.
The ball started rolling when Head Coach Steve Babineau and his wife, Shannon, were contacted by Judie and Rebecca Reed, family friends who felt obligated to help a family in need during this tragic time. The process came together quickly as 'The Feels Like Home' daycare facility, owned by Jennifer Murphy Wescott, and the Westbrook Community Center, operated by Director Greg Post - a 1996 Saint Joseph's College graduate - volunteered to have their respective sites set up as drop-off locations for donations.
Donations poured in from the Saint Joseph's athletic programs, the Babineau Family and Zach Johnson's (Westbrook, Maine) father Eric, the owner of Phoenix Welding who not only paid for the van rental, so the items could be transported, but also donated over a truckload of merchandise to help the family. The SJC men's soccer team provided the muscle and helped collect the donated items from the drop-off locations.
Judie, Rebecca, Carmen Kennedy and Mandy Maynard drove a van packed with donations to the family's home, a slab house located approximately a mile away from the ocean. Upon arrival, the group began helping the family remove furniture and other personal items from the first floor, which took on 3-4 feet of water during the storm. They had a "yellow" sticker on their house, which meant that masks, gloves, and rubber boots had to be worn to enter.
"Our hearts went out to these people, who could do nothing other than to stand there and watch us throw a lifetime of their memories into trash bags," adds Judie Reed. "The look of loss and disparity on their faces was sad; the destruction was so vast and so devastating."
"We have such great support in the area and within Saint Joseph's College athletics," adds Coach Babineau. "We are honored that Judy reached out to us and happy that so many people donated to the great cause. This was a great experience for our guys, who witnessed firsthand the power of compassion and community."
Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.
