Trending

Advertisement

Poway man returns from Jersey shore cleanup efforts

Share

By Emily Sorensen

Hurricane Sandy may be long over, but the devastation wrought by the storm remains.

Paul Trimble, a Poway resident, recently returned from his third trip to the Jersey shore with International Relief Teams, where he donated his time and construction knowledge to repair homes still damaged by the storm, which hit the east coast in late October of 2012.

“The unfortunate thing about this is once its no longer in the news, people forget,” said Trimble of the damage caused by Sandy. “There are still a lot of homes that are damaged.”

A general contractor, Trimble said the fact that he now works part-time allows him the freedom to spend his free time volunteering for things like International Relief Teams. He first traveled to New Jersery to work on Sandy-damaged homes in July, with a second trip in September and another in November. He plans to return in January to work on another home.

International Relief Teams is a relief organization dedicated to helping victims of disasters, poverty and neglect world-wide. It was formed in 1988 as Southwest Medical Teams by San Diego resident Barry La Forgia, and changed its name to International Relief Teams in 1996 to more accurately reflect the nature of the organization.

On his most recent trip, Trimble said he and his fellow volunteers worked on a home in Neptune, New Jersey, that had roof damage from the storm. The home owners were later taken advantage of by a contractor, leaving them unable to afford necessary repairs.

“We put in bamboo flooring, a new kitchen, new bathroom, two bedrooms and made the home handicap accessible,” said Trimble.

Trimble said he heard about International Relief Teams while working on a Habitat for Humanity home. “A couple of guys I worked with for Habitat for Humanity told me about them,” said Trimble. “International Relief Teams had the funds to send me, which was huge for me.”

International Relief Teams paid for Trimble’s travel, food and housing costs, which is what allows him to volunteer back east, he said. “IRT helps me out cost-wise, which is big for me. I really like the people and the organization,” he said.

In September, he worked re-drywalling an entire house. In July, he worked on a roof in Atlantic City. “We always have two or three crews going at once, so we can do two or three projects at once.” International Relief Teams has a contract to continue repair work for another year, said Trimble.

“The best part is in knowing in some way that you’ve helped out some,” said Trimble. “I know how much I’d appreciate it if someone did this for me.”

Trimble said he also appreciated being able to do the work he loves without worrying about making money. “You just go and work,” he said.

Advertisement