Sandy Reflections With VP Jim DeAngelis

Looking back five years after Superstorm Sandy. 
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Superstorm Sandy devastated the Jersey Shore five years ago this week, but resiliency showed by the community and the dedicated support received from not just those around the Shore but those all over the country was a shining light in a dark hour for many. 
We looked back on Sandy with Jim DeAngelis, Vice President of Community Relations for the BlueClaws. 

Shortly after the storm, the BlueClaws hosted staffs from the Phillies, Reading Fightins, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and Trenton Thunder for Baseball Volunteer Day. Groups were sent all over the community to help clean-up and assist where needed. 

"Baseball is a great fraternity, and this was another shining example of how the people come to help their brothers and sisters in need," said DeAngelis. "We hit seven or eight towns and what strikes me the most was people like team president David Montgomery and GM Ruben Amaro getting down and dirty helping people pull out their belongings and clean-up. When the chips were down, these great people helped those of us in Ocean & Monmouth Counties." 

The BlueClaws raised money for those impacted through a special Restore the Shore jersey auction. 50 jerseys were made, each with a different Jersey Shore town name on the back. Players and coaches wore these jerseys across Opening Weekend and the jerseys were auctioned off to raise money. 
"When all was said and done, we had raised over $50,000 for area families. We still have some of the thank you cards and it's one of things I'm most proud of in 17 years with the BlueClaws," said DeAngelis. 
In 2013, the season after the storm, the BlueClaws honored 70 different individuals or groups that helped in a special way after the storm. 
"We had a different group or individual each night and one was more awesome than the next," said DeAngelis. "These little things often go unrecognized but this gave these individuals a platform to be recognized for helping in a time that was a very stressful part of people's lives."
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