Navigation

Local Resident Helps Out in Aftermath of Sandy

At some point in your life, you decide if you’re going to just take up space or do something good for the world.

Rudy Senarighi and his wife Shirley volunteer for the Red Cross during national disasters. Rudy is helping the Red Cross’s mental health team with Hurricane Sandy disaster relief.

Rudy Senarighi chose to do something good. On the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 31, he hopped on a plane to New Jersey to volunteer with the Red Cross Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts.

Senarighi, of Sturgeon Bay, helps with the Red Cross’s mental health team. He’s a retired guidance counselor who worked at Walker Middle School for 25 years, and when the Red Cross sent out a call for volunteers in the mental health field, he signed up.

“I’m retired now, and I have the time,” said Senarighi. “I want to give back.”

Senarighi’s volunteered at nine natural disasters, including hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the tornados in Joplin, Missouri. He’s also helped out with local disasters like fires.

He’s not sure what he’ll be assigned to do in New Jersey – it depends on what needs to be done. In the past he’s helped support victims and other volunteers, and helped connect people in need with available resources.

For the next three weeks, Senarighi will be helping to bring normalcy back to a disaster zone. He does it because he knows he can help, and he wants to give his time and energy to people that could really use it.

“We know they’re going to be there for us when we need them, so we’re going to be there for them,” Senarighi said.