Hurricane Sandy Anniversary Events Include Candlelight Vigils, Remembrance Services

It has been one year since Hurricane Sandy made landfall, wreaking havoc on the Eastern seaboard and destroying homes, businesses and lives. Residents of New York and New Jersey are holding events to remember lives and homes lost in the devastating storm.

On Rockaway Beach in Queens on Sunday, three thousand people joined hands to remember the victims of the storm, which struck on Oct. 29, 2012. 

Lily Corcoran, 56, organized the event through a Facebook group, Rockaway Rising, according to The New York Times. She wept when she saw the long line of people, hands clasped and wavering in the heavy wind. "I lost it," she said. "I had to go down to the water so nobody would see me."

A wave rippled through chain, followed by a loud cheer. The chain then broke. Children put glowing Chinese lanterns and daisies on the water as symbols of those lost in the storm. 

The hurricane killed more than 100 people and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage.

Although Sandy wrought immense damage, residents of New York and New Jersey have worked together to rebound from the storm. Ellis Island reopened today to visitors for the first times since Sandy, and beachfront buildings at the Jersey shore continue to be rebuilt. 

On Tuesday, 300,000 special "I Love New York" MetroCards will go into circulation, part of a statewide, "Come See the Comeback" campaign. 

Today, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg will announce more money to help rebuild after Hurricane Sandy. President Obama's Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force also released ideas from 10 design teams at 8:30 a.m. at New York University. 

The last NYC mayoral debate, which was scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed to Wednesday at the candidates' request to honor the victims of Sandy. 

There are also a number of anniversary events planned on Staten Island, the Staten Island Advance confirms. The Staten Island Community and Interfaith Long-Term Recovery Organization, made up of 70 Island-based groups, will form a chain of lights across the shoreline for an evening "light the shore" vigil on Oct. 29 to remember the victims of the storm. 

"Because some groups want to remain in their own communities we decided to create an event that will allow Staten Islanders to be unified in their own community," said Derek Tabacco, founder of Guyon Rescue and a member of the Long-Term Recovery Organization. "We are really hoping that everyone affected by the storm -- from Queens and Brooklyn to Staten Island and New Jersey -- will go to the shoreline at 7:45 p.m. to light a candle."

On Oct. 29, the list of events on Staten Island are as follows: 

• 4 p.m. Resiliency Walk from South Beach to Midland Beach will kick off at Sand Lane and Capodanno Boulevard.
• 5 p.m. Community supper at the picnic area at Midland and Lincoln avenues.
• 6:30 p.m. Interfaith Service of Remembrance on the boardwalk at Midland and Lincoln avenues.
• 7:45 p.m."Light the Shore" vigil along the shoreline.

The timing of each event was based on when the storm hit the island. 

"It was about 6:30 p.m. when the storm hit landfall, and 7:45 p.m. is when the water impact occurred and water rushed into peoples' houses," said Rev. Terry Troia, president of the LTRO.

"It's very important that people have venues where they can be with other people before and during that day on the moments when the water came through and hit landfall," added Troia, who is also founder of Project Hospitality. "The resiliency walk is symbolic of all of us in the community walking ahead together, Rev. Troia continued. "During the interfaith service we will not only remember those who died that night, but those who have suffered and died since. It will be a prayer for remembrance, resiliency and renewed spirit."

In New Jersey, residents of Perth Amboy will have a Superstorm Sandy Commemoration Prayer Vigil and Procession, hosted by the Perth Amboy Police Chaplain Corps, My Central Jersey.com reports. South Amboy and Sayreville will be among 12 shore communities participating in "Light Up New Jersey" on Tuesday, in which participants will gather at the Raritan Bay Waterfront Park at 6:30 p.m. and shine flashlights in unison to show strength and solidarity for all that's been done to come back from the storm.