Police Officer Organizes Tornado Relief Project

By Andrew Gorosko

To help residents in the Brimfield, Mass., area, which was hard hit by a powerful tornado on June 1, a Newtown police officer is organizing a collection of items for the victims who are seeking to get their lives back to normal after the devastating windstorm.

Police Patrol Officer Maryhelen McCarthy said this week that the damage caused by the storm must be seen to be fully comprehended. She visited that area on June 4, photographing the damage.

Ofc McCarthy said her family has a lakeside vacation house in Brimfield (population 3,600). That house fortunately was undamaged by the tornado. However, many property owners in that area were not so fortunate and have suffered extensive property losses due to the storm, she said.

The McCarthy residence in Brimfield was unoccupied when the storm hit.

Ofc McCarthy asked Newtowners who are interested in helping out people affected by the storm in the Brimfield area to make donations of various useful items to the victims as they seek to recover from the storm.

Such items include: ‘Ziploc’ plastic bags of all sizes, durable plastic food containers, wet wipes, sunscreen, small coolers, single-serve packages of cookies and brownies, canned tuna fish, peanut butter, jelly, bread, hard candy, chocolate, sugar and sugar substitute packets, disposable diapers, various toiletries, and personal care items.

Also, Ofc McCarthy suggested that Newtowners donate Big Y supermarket gift cards, which could be redeemed by Brimfield area residents at a Big Y supermarket in that area.

From 8 am to noon on Saturday, June 11, Ofc McCarthy will be conducting a tornado relief project outside the Big Y supermarket at Newtown Shopping Village at 6 Queen Street.

Ofc McCarthy has created a large greeting card that will be on display there to allow Newtown residents to write messages of encouragement to the tornado victims.

The exterior of the card reads, “If you think nobody cares, think again.” Its interior carries the message, “Our hearts are with the tornado victims in Massachusetts — From your friends and neighbors in Newtown, Connecticut.”

Ofc McCarthy said she will transport the collected items to the Brimfield area later that day.

Also, Ofc McCarthy said she has approached the Ace Hardware store, which plans to donate some useful items to the tornado victims.

Additionally, checks could be donated to a Brimfield church, whose facilities are being used to help all Brimfield area residents who are in need after the storm, Ofc McCarthy said.

Such checks may be made payable to The First Congregational Church of Brimfield, Massachusetts, with the check listing a memo stating that the funds are a “tornado relief donation,” Ofc McCarthy said.

Also, Ofc McCarthy asked that people who are interested in donating items to aid the tornado victims to bring those items to the town Social Services Department on the lower level of Town Hall South at 3 Main Street during its normal business hours of 8 am to 4:30 pm on Mondays through Fridays.

At other times, such donations may be left at the police station on the upper level of Town Hall South, she said.