Auxiliary Sends Out SOS for Storm-Damaged VFW Post

It wasn’t only homes and businesses that suffered a blow from Sandy – VFW Post 3729 on East 79th Street in Beach Haven Crest was among the buildings hardest hit, its members and auxilians soon found out. The community center/headquarters for the organization that helps veterans all year long is in need of help to be restored.

“The damages exceed $100,000, with little more than a homeowner’s policy to cover them,” said Ladies Auxiliary President Sandy Dueben, in making an appeal to the community. “The VFW was not able to carry any sort of flood insurance due to damage history of that area of the Island and that building as well.”

The ocean inundated the lower level, and even crept to the second floor.

“One entire floor containing the beautiful mahogany bar, two large screen TV sets, a pool table, three high tables each with four matching chairs, and beautiful ceramic tile – all less than three years old – all gone,” Dueben said.

“As though the first floor was not enough for the ocean to claim, the second floor had over a foot of water, so we lost an entire commercial kitchen with two big stoves, two large refrigerators, an ice maker and all of our beautiful new cabinets, including an island with butcher block tops. Both of our newly decorated rest rooms are gone. It just makes us heartsick to see all of the damage.

“We can only put it back together as the money becomes available,” the auxiliary president said.

VFW members are still meeting in the building, but access is limited. The third floor holds only about 10 people, and some of the men can’t navigate the stairs, she added.

The post held a doo-wop dance and dinner fundraiser Feb. 10 at the Manahawkin Elks Lodge, and that support is much appreciated, but so much more is needed.

Maritime activities have played such a big role in Hong Kong's history that it seemed a pity the only museum dedicated to this was hidden away in Stanley. On Monday, the Hong Kong Maritime Museum finally took its rightful place - right smack in Victoria Harbour, the heart of the territory's maritime history.

Tung Chee-chen, chairman of the Hong Kong Maritime Museum Trust, said: "Shipping has always been a part of Hong Kong - from a fishing village to an international maritime center, from a simple port of call to one of the world's largest and most efficient container gateway port for not only the Pearl River Delta, but points inland."

 Website optimization specialist, SeeVolution Inc., announces their recent increase in their website’s usability and navigation, which provides customers with a quicker, more advanced experience. The Manhattan Beach startup quickly made a name for themselves and their service—which provides webmasters with a site’s real-time analytics, and website heatmaps that show visuals of a site’s user behaviors—with notable accolades from industry trusted blogs like Mashable and Apptiva.

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