Business Owners and Residents: Help SuperStorm Sandy victims!

As a life long resident of Lynbrook, with East Rockaway, Island Park, Oceanside, and Long Beach in my backyard, I feel a personal obligation to extend my help to my community during this time of need.

As a business owner, I feel that we should use our resources and help our community rebuild.  It won't be easy, but that is why we need to step up to the plate and make it our responsibility to help those in need.

Here is what we are doing:

My company, Avista Flooring, is offering our services at 35% off.  We will assist in insurance claims, demo all damaged flooring, carpeting, subfloors etc, order new materials, install sub-floors, new floors and refinish whatever was salvaged. My staff is very understanding and supportive, and we are here for you. We are here to help!

Here is what you can do:

Donate to the American Red Cross as well, by visiting their website www.redcross.org, calling 800-Red-Cross or texting the word “Redcross” to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Clean those closets, pantries and attics. Donate your gently used items to charities, bring non-perishables to local food banks and shelters aiding in the relief efforts of this storm. Business owners, people need supplies like face masks, duck tape, boxes etc. Spare what you can and donate!

If you get your power back, but know someone who is still in the dark, lend them your generator, give them your ice, make them come over, provide them a place to stay, warm up, eat, shower and charge their devices.  Open your doors to the people who need you.

Business owners: DO NOT PRICE GOUGE!  This is not a time for you to make prices higher: this is a time to be fair. 

Animals need help to.  You can help by visiting http://www.animalleague.org and donating.

Finally, encourage other businesses to get involved. We use the resources of the communities most hit almost everyday; we should help them get their lives back. For instance, my wife's boutique is donating a precentage of sales to the Red Cross, and she encouraged her employees to donate locally as well.  We all can do something; so lets do it!

We can help bring Long Island back to what it was; it will take time.  But with a sense of community, we can make the process a little easier... Be active! Get involved!

Joseph Cimino is owner of Avista Flooring, and you can learn more about him and his business at http://www.avistaflooring.com