Texas School Aids Seaford Community Post-Sandy

A Seaford Middle School student’s phone conversation with her cousin in Texas has helped launch a relief drive for local victims of Superstorm Sandy from the Lone Star State.

When eighth grader Kenna MacLean told her cousin Morgan Ericson of Plano, Texas during a recent weekly Sunday conversation about the destruction her home community of Seaford faced from the Oct. 29 superstorm, help was offered without hesitation. Ericson decided to spearhead a relief drive for Seaford through her drill team at Planoette Senior High School (PSHS) in suburban Dallas that has sent much-needed supplies to area Sandy victims.

“They did a whole drive for us and organized everything,” said MacLean, a member of the National Junior Honor Society, of the support offered by her cousin’s hometown to Seaford. “I was so thankful and surprised that these people who I have never met would offer to help like this.”

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MacLean said it was fortunate that her house in a more northern area of Seaford did not face the destruction that residents south of Merrick Road incurred but she wanted to assist her neighbors in need. Her mother, Debbie MacLean, helped garner support from the Seaford Manor School PTA, which has partnered with PSHS in organizing the relief drive. Ms. MacLean said more than $3,000 in relief supplies and gift cards have been donated so far from Texas and distributed throughout Seaford as well as Long Beach and Island Park.

“It has been nice to see these two cousins who due to distance don’t get to see each other that often be able to still work together on a great cause,” said MacLean, whose youngest daughter is attending Seaford Manor School. “It has been pretty amazing.”

Ericson is captain of her drill team called the Planoettes, which started the relief drive efforts for Seaford. Word soon spread and then other groups in the school including the National Honor Society and student council contributed toward the charitable effort. 

“I could have never imagined our drive would attract the attention it did," Ericson said. "It was so inspiring to see a community come together like this to help others.”