Boston, MA, School Brings Assistance to Friends in The Rockaways

OpedNews contributor Dan Welch and his wife, Julia Nambalirwa-Lugudde, co-Directors of the progressive Greenhouse School in Salem (in the greater Boston area) found the opportunities to practice a random act of kindness as well as and what they call “a teachable moment” after Hurricane Sandy slammed the Rockaways.

One of Welch’s friends and his two sons were displaced from their Rockaway home as a result of the devastation, and The Greenhouse School kids wanted to help. So they dug into their classroom stash and also sent out a call for donations.

The kids helped pack the car with canned goods, toiletries, bleach and cleaning supplies, food, and other requested items.

Greenhouse School kids pack up supplies. by Dan Welch

The release noted, “The (co-Directors) realize that the effort is largely symbolic, and one that is an important learning experience for kids in their care.”

Welch commented, “We need to teach them as young as possible that banding together to help out is not something ‘other people’ do, or that only agencies can accomplish.”

Two of the students accompanied Welch and Nambalirwa-Lugudde on the long drive from Boston to Queens on Sat, Nov 3.

Broad Channel damage. by Dan Welch

Welch took a number of photos of the damage in the Broad Channel area of The Rockaways. He said, “Someone had scrawled ‘SS Minnow’ on this boat, which was smack in the middle of the outbound land in Broad Channel, on the Blvd.”