On Thursday, August 30, the village of Margaretville came together to reflect on the Irene floods. Local videographer Jess Vecchione produced the video above, using footage taken at the ceremony. In it, she juxtaposes shots of the incredible devastation wreaked on the village of Margaretville a year ago with the voices of prominent local citizens talking about where Margaretville is today.
Middletown supervisor Marge Miller talks about why the ceremony of remembrance was held:
"We really needed something to say, 'We've made it, we're here, we still have struggles and concerns, but we're getting there.'"
Margaretville business owner Dorothy Maffei, who put in countless hours of work as a volunteer coordinator over the last year, says that the community rallied after Irene, and that the response should be a lesson in future disasters:
"We as a community should celebrate how well we did, and now figure out how to make it a little bit of a plan, so that we know we can do it again."
Local attorney Dennis Metnick, who was in town for the terrible flood of 1996 as well as Irene, says that after weathering two apocalyptic floods in as many decades, the village is more prepared for disaster than it ever has been:
"I went through one in 1996. We didn't do this. And we probably should have. We didn't put everything together so when the next one did come, we were ready to hit the ground running."
Also included in the video: Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce president Carol O'Beirne, state assemblymen Clifford Crouch and Pete Lopez, Middletown justice Gary Rosa, state senator James Seward, and Middletown town board member Brian Sweeney.
"God, can you help me with the hurricane blues," a community choir sings. Like every town visited by the wrath of Irene, Margaretville is still hurting a year later -- but looking toward the future.
