By Alexandra Salerno
Editor-In-Chief
Bonaventure students rallied together to organize fundraisers in to support of fellow Bonnies affected by the hurricane.
Maria Tomassi, a senior history major, and Makeda Loney, a junior journalism and mass communication major, used Facebook to spread the word about their friend, Lizzy Vivino, who’s house in Rockaway Park, Queens was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. The two created a Facebook group called “Operation Lizzy: The SBU Effort” to collect items, organize events and raise funds for Vivino, a senior theater major who plans to return to Bonaventure in January following a semester off.
“After I shared a photo of the (devastation) on Facebook, Maria contacted me and said we needed to do something to spread the word and get people to send things for Lizzy,” Loney said.
Operation Lizzy asks students to donate whatever they can for Vivino from monetary donations, clothing and toiletries to handwritten cards, pictures and homemade presents.
“Facebook’s actually a really great way to get word out about things,” Tomassi said. “I posted a picture on my Facebook wall, and I wrote something like ‘Please help my friend. Anything will help.’ Within the hour, it was amazing to see how many people were overwhelmingly trying to help. People shared the photo (on Facebook), and I had people that had never even met Lizzy send me money. It’s restoring my faith in humanity by seeing how many people are willing to help out.”
Tomassi, Vivino’s roommate, said the house Vivino lived in with her dad burnt down while the two were inside. They were forced to swim across the street through the floodwaters to escape the fire.
“It was dark out, and Lizzy couldn’t see because the ocean was literally flooding the streets,” said Tomassi. “Lizzy said a fireman appeared like a miracle and guided them across the street where there was an apartment building. She said the fireman saved her and her dad’s life.”
Tomassi said Lizzy is staying at a friend’s house.
Operation Lizzy teamed up with the St. Bonaventure theater department to raise awareness and funds. As an AVON representative, Becky Misenheimer, assistant professor of theater, organized an online AVON sales event for Operation Lizzy. By typing LIZZYV during an AVON online checkout, 30 percent of proceeds go towards Operation Lizzy.
Members of the theater department also secured a credit card in which donors can make monetary donations directly to be added to the card and given to the Vivino family.
“I couldn’t ask for a better college,” Tomassi said. “The Bonaventure community is so welcoming, and it’s just so amazing even what the theater program has done to get together all of the theater students who know and love Lizzy. They’re all getting together to collect money and collect everything possible. St. Bonaventure is just such a great community that we can all get together to help someone that is a Bonnie.”
All information about how to donate to Vivino can be found on the Operation Lizzy: The SBU Effort Facebook page. Tomassi said she plans to visit Lizzy in New York City on Thursday.
“Rockaway is literally destroyed,” Tomassi said. “It’s actually devastating what happened to that town. It’s grown to be like a place that I love so much. Because of Lizzy, I’ve usually been there for like a month every summer. It’s such an artistic town, and so much of the art has been destroyed there. Yet, it’s such a strong town, and they’re definitely going to overcome this. They’re all working together so much to rebuild and everyone there that I’ve talked to are hopeful. It’s beautiful how much they’ve come together as a community to overcome something so traumatic.”
Just like Loney and Tomassi, junior journalism and mass communication major Tim Harfmann and senior journalism and mass communication majors Tony Lee and Sally O’Rourke, formed a benefit for their friend who was also affected by Hurricane Sandy’s devastation of Rockaway.
After water flooded senior journalism and mass communication major Ryan Lazo’s Rockaway home, the only things salvageable were a few floor tiles and parts of the kitchen counter. The hurricane also heavily damaged Ryan’s family store in Rockaway, The Last Stop Gourmet Shop.
Lazo’s roommates Harfmann and Lee, and girlfriend, O’Rourke, created a fund to support Ryan, his parents and two younger brothers, Brandon, 15, and Jonathan, 6. The Lazo family shared the home with Ryan’s aunt and son, who lived upstairs. Despite a flooded and destroyed first floor, the family is able to live on the second floor. However, Rockaway is still without power.
“When I heard that Ryan had lost everything, I wanted to help out my friend,” Lee said. “It was heartbreaking for me. The first thing we (Lee, O’Rourke and Harfmann) did together was go to the bank and set up an account, because it was harder to get alumni donations without an account.”
Donations of money, food, clothes, etc. can be donated to Benefit for Lazo Family, PO Box 164, St. Bonaventure, N.Y. 14778 or on campus at Townhouse 25, Room 253. Electronic donation is possible through Community Bank N.A. under the name of Benefit for Lazo Family. Routing and account number are available by contacting Lee.
“I lived with Ryan for two years,” Lee said. “He’s one of the most giving individuals I’ve ever met. He takes on a lot of responsibility and never asks for help and this is the first time I could actually help him with something. I’m really glad that I did, and I’m really glad that a lot of people are so responsive to it.”
Similar to Loney and Tomassi, Lee found many people wanting to help on social media networks.
“There’s a lot of people I’ve never met contacting me via social media about Ryan, which shows you that social media can help you reach a huge amount of people in a quick amount of time,” Lee said. “It’s a new medium, and it’s fantastic.”
Lee said Jim Mahar, associate professor of finance and creator of on campus disaster relief volunteer group, BonaResponds, contacted Lazo about a potential trip to Rockaway after seeing Lazo’s post on a social media account. While Mahar worked to organize a trip, he needed a place for volunteers to stay overnight.
“He (Mahar) didn’t have a place for people to stay so Tim, who lives in Queens, contacted his old high school; Cathedral Preparatory Seminary, and they let us stay there,” Lee said.
According to Harfmann, BonaResponds traveled to Rockaway in two groups. The first wave of 12 traveled on Thursday and the second group of about 20 traveled on Friday. Alumni met up with students on Friday and Saturday mornings, averaging to a total of 40 volunteers.
“The trip to Rockaway was important for me because I know a lot of people who live in the area,” Harfmann said. “Between my friend Ryan and friends from high school, a lot of people close to me were affected. There’s still a ton of work to do down there, and I’m looking forward to going back and helping those in need.”
Lee credits Harfmann for his quick thinking.
“Without Tim, I don’t think that trip could have happened,” Lee said. “Without Tim, I don’t think that BonaResponds would have been able to help out the Lazo family and others.”
Lee said he will never forget his trip to Rockaway with Bonaresponds.
“What I saw there was gut wrenching,” Lee said. “When I got there and saw the devastation for myself, it was heartbreaking. It’s totally indescribable. It was heartwarming to see everyone unite during this tragedy and help each other out. It was nice when people asked where we were from we could answer St Bonaventure. The Bonaventure community is not the richest school, but when there’s people we can help, we do. It really shows you how fantastic this university is.”
As part of the Benefit for the Lazo Family, O’Rourke organized Wacky Wednesday, a Rockaway bar tradition, at The Burton in Allegany on Wednesday starting at 11 p.m. For a $3 cover charge and prize raffles, 1/3 of all profits will directly benefit the Lazo family.
“I wanted to do the Burton fundraiser because I think tying in a fun event will bring some light to such a somber situation,” O’Rourke said. “We could continue telling a sad story, or we could get people to come out and have fun and at the same time have the proceeds go towards helping the Lazos.”
For O’Rourke, Rockaway holds a special place in her heart. She lived with the Lazo family last summer while interning in New York City.
“This summer, Rockaway was my home,” she said. “Everyone there has such a strong sense of community, and I felt welcomed from day one. Everything about Rockaway is just perfect; beautiful beaches at the end of every street, everything you need right there and Manhattan just a quick train ride away. When I found out what was happening there, it broke my heart, and I immediately knew I had to do something to help.”
O’Rourke likens the small community devastated by Hurricane Sandy to the Bonaventure community she calls home.
“One thing Bona’s and Rockaway have in common is a strong sense of pride,” O’Rourke said. “I think that I, along with Ryan’s family and everyone else affected, are so lucky to have the Bonaventure community to support what we are doing during this time. The support we have received so far really shows how supportive the Bonaventure community is and what it means to be a Bonnie.”
