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Community Corner

Red Cross Volunteer Ready To Cope With Disaster

New City resident responds when families are in need.

When disaster strikes in Rockland County, there's a good chance Cynthia Conine will be there.
That certainly was the case recently when a fire damaged three buildings on Slinn Avenue, in Spring Valley, and left 35 families displaced. Conine, one of about 50 Red Cross volunteers in Rockland County, was there to provide aid and comfort to the victims. She interviewed them and helped them get the food, clothing and shelter they needed.
It's something the 60-year-old New City woman has been doing since shortly after moving to the county from the Philippines in 2002.
"I have seen a lot of disasters and people need people during these times," she said. "I ask myself: 'When disaster strikes, how would it feel to be alone with no help from anyone?' This is enough to keep me with the Red Cross.
"I feel so sorry for these people who have no one else to help them and no one else to turn to."
Conine originally moved to the United States so her three children could go to college and receive a better education.
Like her decision to relocate, her involvement with the Red Cross also has family ties. Her sister, Rose Marie Fajardo, is the assistant director for response for Rockland County.
"In the beginning, I was just going along to keep her company; then she said 'why don't you just volunteer.' "
Rockland County is part of the Red Cross' Greater New York chapter, which is the largest and busiest chapter within the American Red Cross system. It relies upon almost 7,000 volunteers to perform its mission of helping more than 9 million people in the greater New York area prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies, said Anita Salzberg, the chapter's senior coordinator of marketing and public relations.
At the site of disasters, Conine interviews victims to determine what their needs are and then helps get them met. Additionally, she staffs area Red Cross shelters and helps in community outreach by handing out Red Cross preparedness material at parades and other fairs.
She played an integral role in taking care of the providing food to area residents during the February snowstorm, working at the Red Cross shelters in Rockland, Putnam and Orange counties.
That storm dumped up to 20 inches of snow in some areas and left tens of thousands of people without power. Several area shelters provided residents with immediate support, including a warm, dry place to stay, food and beverages and health and mental health services.
Being able to provide aid in a compassionate, patient manner during a crisis is one of the things that makes Conine an excellent volunteer, Fajardo said.
"She listens first and tries to find out what they're (the victims) going through and then provides the proper assistance and follows through," she said.
"You have to try and talk them into taking it easy," Conine added, saying some of the victims are angry or depressed because of the damage to their homes and personal possessions. "I try to tell them not to worry."
One woman who stands out in Conine's memory is an 83-year-old whose Roscoe home was damaged by a flood in 2006. The woman had no family and "it meant a lot to me to be able to help her because she had nobody," Conine said.
The woman knew Conine enjoyed gardening so she gave her a few plants from her flooded garden.
"She gave me some plants and I still have them," she said. "That touched me. Every time I see them in bloom I remember Roscoe and this old lady."
Conine, a Catholic, said her strong religious beliefs, are one of the reasons she volunteers.
"When you touch someone in a positive way, the joy you give bounces right back to you. Making a difference in someone's life is probably what gives me the most meaning in life.
"This is what we were created for – to help one another."

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