Huntington's Habitat for Humanity club to be honored at Citi Field
Huntington High School's Habitat for Humanity club members will be honored on the field prior to the New York Mets game against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field this Wednesday night. The organization will be recognized during Sandy Relief Volunteer Night ceremonies.
Huntington's Habitat for Humanity chapter traveled to Breezy Point, Queens on most Saturdays for months, responding to the destruction that Hurricane Sandy brought to the Rockaways' community. Flooding destroyed countless Breezy Point homes and the storm led to an electrical fire that burned down 111 houses.
"We helped demolish homes, cleaned up large areas and allowed people to begin rebuilding their houses," said Huntington senior Nicole Smoot, who serves as the Habitat for Humanity club vice-president. The Huntington chapter was founded by high school dean Robert Gilmor III, who continues to lead the club.
The New York Mets, Habitat for Humanity and New York Cares are honoring metropolitan area volunteers who answered the call following the natural disaster. Huntington Habitat for Humanity club members interested in participating in the on-field recognition ceremony prior to the game should visit www.Mets.com/sandyrelief to purchase a special $15 promenade ticket. The special ticket offer is also available to Huntington teachers, parents and family members at the same web address. A portion of each ticket sold through this online offer will be donated to Habitat for Humanity and New York Cares.
Mr. Gilmor is asking that members of Huntington's Habitat for Humanity chapter who purchase tickets contact him at rgilmor@hufsd.edu with the names of their guests and anyone from the club that would like to be on the field for the ceremony.
Any Habitat for Humanity club member that intends to go onto the field needs to be at Citi Field no later than 6:30 p.m. and must be wearing their Habitat shirt. The game's first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
In addition to Ms. Smoot, Huntington's Habitat for Humanity club is led by Brian McConnell (president), Josh Morris (treasurer) and Scout Ziegler (secretary).
The Huntington High School Habitat club members will also be honored at Citi Field for their continuing work in New Orleans in response to Hurricane Katrina. "Mr. Gilmor began bringing kids down to New Orleans in 2006, just a year after the storm," Ms. Smoot said. "We have been helping rebuild homes that were destroyed by the hurricane." Huntington students just returned home after spending a week in New Orleans working on rebuilding projects.