How You Can Help Flood Victims In Mahwah - Become An Elf!

A Mahwah resident is organizing a volunteer group to help residents clean up their homes that were devastated by flooding from Hurricane Irene.

Suzy Kozakiewicz Godding said the new “Mahwah Elves” will be volunteering clean up services, delivering food and water, and other forms of assistance to the residents of “Catherine Ave, Strysco, Brook, Brakeshoe Place, Reich Ave and others near me devastated by Hurricane Irene.”

The Elves first meeting will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Vacuum Repair Shop on Route 202, but will be welcoming more volunteers whenever they are available, Godding said.

She is asking volunteers to wear white t-shirts to keep the group organized. Those who can bring “work boots, work gloves, face masks and anything they think would help the effort,” are asked to do so.

Godding said she was inspired to help after seeing the mounting challenges her neighbors are facing.

“I live near Ramapo River. I was lucky - there is only about quarter inch of water in my basement,“ she said.

“I have walked down to these houses and between the water and the there is a lot of work to be done. I know it is overwhelming to all the families in this area.”

Godding said she would appreciate residents who want to help reach out to her anytime.

“We will be working until this mess is cleaned up, so my volunteers are in for the days [and] weeks ahead,” she said.

Godding says she is confident people will volunteer because of the sense of community in the township. She says the is donating food and water to her effort.

“I have a friend that moved out to Las Vegas that can't make it, but she is mailing me a gift card to Wal-Mart or Target so I can get cleaning supplies or water for the residents,” she said. 

“I tell you - you can leave Mahwah, but you always love Mahwah.”

Volunteers can email her at suzygodd@aol.com for more details.