Bee Editorial
In our darkest hour, WNY shines brightly
Plenty has been said and done during the past 30 years to create a negative impression

of Buffalo and Western New York when it comes to bad weather.

What happened last weekend should stand for a much longer period of time as a testament to what people like us can do when faced with unimaginable conditions.

We huddled in our homes Thursday night and braced for the worst. The rain that began earlier in the day turned to wet snow, and lots of it. The colorful autumn leaves that we thought would adorn our neighborhoods for weeks were soon covered in sterile white. The sturdy limbs to which they clung began to bend and sag under the unusual weight. Then, as dusk faded into evening's darkness, thunder and lightning enveloped the surreal scene, and the devastation began. Limbs and trunks broke with sounds similar

to gunshots, often taking utility lines with them. Power and communication was lost to an estimated 400,000 customers from downtown Buffalo to its eastern suburbs.

Many residents have waited patiently for five days or more to have power restored. They have tolerated cold, dark evenings in their homes as well as the Herculean task of clearing and cutting limbs blocking driveways, sidewalks and roadways. Their only reward was a cup of coffee or a simple meal procured from a neighbor with a gas stove or the pleasant surprise of finding a store that still had batteries for sale.

The key word is "neighbor" because without them, the past week would have been even more difficult to endure. We missed seeing some of our favorite sports on television but discovered what it was like 75 years ago to spend the night listening to the radio with our

families. We had to throw out some food, but we found stronger friendships served up with a side order of chain saws and snow shovels.

Government officials in the towns and villages covered by Bee Group Newspapers acted with the safety of all residents in mind throughout the emergency. So did the police officers and firefighters who took time away from their families when they were just as needed at home. Municipal workers, volunteers and power crews from across the northeast came here by the hundreds to help us when we needed it most. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts.

To his credit, Rep. Thomas Reynolds was far ahead of any other elected official in securing information and funding from agencies familiar with disasters of this scale.

Slowly, power is being restored. So is our region's reputation.