The students of Public School 104, the Far Rockaway school that received hurricane relief supplies from Lincoln County, thanked local organizers with colorful, handmade cards.
Nobleboro residents Anne Geisler, Larry Sidelinger and Russ Williams received more than 100 cards and letters from the students at the school, also known as The Bays Water School, where they delivered more than 150 bags of clothes, food and supplies.
A card from Verzell Marshall to Geisler reads, “I know it has been hard, but thank you for all the blanket (sic) through the storm so I could be warm and cozey (sic).
“I know it was hard to come from Maine to Far Rockaway, with all of these things,” Marshall wrote.
Adaiah Glasper thanked Geisler for juice and snacks.
“I also thank you for the coat that you gave my mom, so now my mom can stay warm,” Glasper wrote.
The box of cards thrilled Geisler, who posted a picture of her notes spread out on a table on the Hurricane Relief from Maine Facebook page. “This will go down as my best Christmas present this year!” she wrote.
The Bays Water School, serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, and the cards range from doodles with simple messages to drawings of the school, Sidelinger’s truck and self-portraits, including one of a second-grader, Kianna, surrounded by bags and boxes of food and supplies.
The older students often wrote detailed letters of thanks.
The food in Darius Jones’ refrigerator spoiled after several days without electricity, a familiar situation for many in the devastated Rockaways.
“Thank you for the hats, boots, shirts and food,” Jones wrote in a two-page letter to Williams. “I thank you for that because I had no food and I needed warm clothes.”
“I am thankful that I have lights, heats (sic) and hot waters (sic) and my house wasn’t flooded, just my neighborhood,” he wrote.
Williams said the organizers want to share the cards and the students’ gratitude with the community because “the thank-you really goes to all the individuals, businesses and organizations” that donated to the effort.
Geisler, Sidelinger and Williams distributed building supplies, clothes, food and other items, enough to fill a 53-foot trailer, to a relief center, a school and several fire stations in and around New York City Nov. 17-18.
“We appreciate your hard work,” a second-grader named Odyssey wrote to Sidelinger.