Many stopped by the Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet to help Coastal Carolina Shields collect donations for victims of Hurricane Sandy.
/ Lindsey Theis
MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WPDE) - Dozens came out Sunday to pack a moving truck with supplies for storm torn New York and New Jersey. It was held by Coastal Carolina Shields, a group of retired police officers . Many in the group have ties to those Northeast.
"We're collecting non perishable foods, we got baby items and baby diapers and formula, that type of thing, work gloves, rubber gloves, we have masks for the mold," organizer Michael Faing said. He has family in Rockaway, New York, and said he felt helpless not being able to aide them.
"I can be in a car and be there in 12 hours but now with the fuel issues and shelter issues and no heat, that type of thing, they told me don't bother coming up," he said.
Faing, and dozens other from Coastal Carolina Shield, gathered at the Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet to gather donated items. They hope to get enough to fill a 24 foot rental truck.
"All my family is up in Staten Island and also New Jersey area, and I'm doing what I can," volunteer Chris Favale said.
"There's some people we haven't even talked to from Long Beach," said co-organizer Beth Koleman, of her family and friends in her native Rockaway.
"I guess people feel like because they are up in New York and New Jersey, that its such a larger metropolitan area that they can be self-sufficient. When really it was such a widespread disaster that it's not so much. They need the help of the rest of the nation," Faing said.
By late morning, many church goers on their way home from Sunday service had stopped, went shopping, and came back to give items to the drive.
It's something that makes Koleman smile, but she said they won't stop gathering items anytime soon. "We're going to get this done, and if we have to keep doing this over and over and over again. We'll just keep doing it," she said.
The group is still taking donations. They'll be at the Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet Monday morning at 10 to try and fill up the truck with supplies.
