Neighbors join forces to clean up devastation
by JILL SCHMELZER Reporter

The surprise snow storm that devastated Western New York this past Thursday evening split century old trees, resulting in downed power lines and impassable roadways.

The sight prompted an Amherst community to drive to Rochester to stock up on chainsaws and a generator.

The teamwork started with Meadow Spring Lane neighbors Derwin Terrance, Shawn and Julie Murry, Derek Gilham and John Bielinski. The group jumped into action, assessing damage and lending helping hands to those in need.

They went around to neighbors' homes, chopping the damaged trees into pieces and placing the brush by the roadside. The crew worked eight hours on Friday and again on Saturday taking care of each other's property, Bielinski said.

One neighbor, "Mr. Carpenter," was tearfully thankful for the work the men and women put into cleaning up the mess that was left behind on his property, said Bielinski.

Another neighbor, appreciative of the team's efforts to clear out downed trees that damaged his property, offered an anytime pass for them to fish in his backyard pond.

"We worked for fishing rights and pizza," Bielinski said.

Julie Murry "slugged it out" with the volunteers, hauling large tree trunks to the curb, Bielinski added.

"I am impressed with how efficient we were," Bielinski added. "In a half hour we'd fix it up. It's amazing how much we did as a team."

Terrance said he had originally thought his street was terrible, but after helping those in other neighborhoods, he realized just how extensive the damage was that the storm left behind.

He estimated the group to have cut down between 50 and 100 trees, but he wasn't positive of the exact number.

"It was a great team effort," Terrance added.

Now that the cleanup is completed, Bielinski said he believes the community will be closer.

e-mail: JSchmelzer@beenews.com