12/18/12 Byram Has Got Heart: New Lebanon School Sends Sandy Aid To Queens Chiildren

PHOTO: New Lebanon School Principal Barbara Rucci listens as second-grader Lucas Del Pezo, 7, speaks Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, at the school about Hurricane Sandy and how it motivated the school to help a hard-hit school in Rockaway, Queens, N.Y. New Lebanon School welcomed the principal and some staff from PS 104 in Rockaway Queens, N.Y., to whom they gave gifts, gift cards, school items like T-shirts for students and staff.

Students and staff at a Far Rockaway, Queens, N.Y., school still struggling with the effects of Superstorm Sandy received a boost from Byram Students.

In a 2 p.m. ceremony in the New Lebanon School gym, two staff members from Public School 104 were given gifts, books and gift cards donated by the Byram school's students, parents and staff.

Deirdre McShane, P.S. 104's assistant principal, and Mary Bermudez, a teacher at the Queens school, were thankful. "It's been an overwhelming response that people want to help," Bermudez said. "We have been adopted by six schools from around the country, and New Lebanon was the first one."

The link between the schools is through a New Lebanon parent, Clare Kilgallen, whose cousin is Katie Grady, P.S. 104's principal.

New Lebanon PTA President Michael Bocchino said the school decided to concentrate on items such as gift cards that the P.S. 104 families and staff could use to purchase what they need. The school also donated $500 worth of books, along with gifts and items for three hard-hit families.

The school wasn't flooded as other were, but did have an outdoor play area was damaged by a downed tree. It was without power for two weeks, however, and about 75 of its 650 students had to move to other schools because their homes were too badly damaged, McShane said.

McShane and Bermudez toured New Lebanon School before the assembly.

Bermudez said everyone at the school survived, but some students and their families had to swim out of their homes when the storm hit.

Bermudez and McShane promised they would return to update New Lebanon School on their progress.