West End Students Celebrate Halloween by Helping Hurricane Victims

A large crowd of Lynbrook students and their families gathered outside West End Elementary School Saturday to hold a belated Halloween celebration, where they collected donations for Hurricane Sandy victims.

The Trick-or-Treat and Donate Party gave kids who may have been forced to stay inside on Halloween due to unsafe post-Sandy conditions a chance to dress up in their costumes and collect candy. But the families also brought with them food and clothing donations, which was dropped off at local collection sites including Broad Channel American Legion, the East Rockaway Fire Department, and Swingbellies in Lynbrook and a center in Freeport, which are both focused on helping  victims in hard-hit Long Beach.

"The response was overwhelming!" said Julie Bergin, who organized the event along with fellow West End moms, Nicole Aroksaar and Lori Padilla.  She added, "Thank you so so much to all the families who came out and contributed!"

Click here for a list of local places where you can drop off donations. For more ways you can help Hurricane Sandy victims, click here.