Governor Markell discusses the spirit of service and the teamwork displayed across the state during Hurricane Irene and the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project in Lewes and the example it sets for what can be accomplished in the state when Delawareans come together.
Governor’s Weekly Message
Governor Jack Markell
Full text of Governor Jack Markell’s weekly message:
Over a thousand Delawareans came together early last week to start building together, from the ground up, a new home in Sussex County for a wonderful non-profit that helps feed Delawareans in need.
The network reality show “Extreme Makeover” was there to help drive the construction and capture for broadcast our friends and neighbors – including many in my Cabinet – coming together to make a meaningful difference, one hammer and one nail at a time.
A few days later – “Extreme Makeover” and reality TV gave way to something very different – extreme weather in the form of Hurricane Irene and the reality that weather experts around the country were predicting substantial storm damage across the region.
Just like so many volunteers did to start the building that home in Sussex before the storm, when Irene approached, hundreds of thousands of Delawareans quickly pulled together to protect their own homes and personal safety – taking action before the storm hit, moving quickly to clean up after it passed.
Whether it was the volunteers in the evacuation shelters I visited, the first responders working throughout the storm, or the neighbors cleaning up tornado and flood damage afterwards, the spirit of service that helps define our state – the commitment to making each moment matter– was clear.
Heck – even the television crew got into the spirit. They took time off their build to do an “extreme clean up” of some of the homes hit by the tornado launched from Hurricane Irene just north of Lewes.
While the flood waters have receded, and the lights are back on, Delawareans are still coming together to help each other through the impact of Irene.
Volunteers and some great state employees continue to serve those in need and leaders from six different state agencies continue the “Rapid Response Team” efforts we launched to help businesses impacted from the storm get back on their feet.
That Extreme Home Makeover unveiling of that new building in Lewes – which came together despite substantial adversity – serves as a bit of a metaphor for our state during this hurricane.
When we together with a common purpose, there isn’t much we can’t achieve together.
The “extreme” dedication of Delawareans to each other – even in the face of some of the “extreme weather” we faced this week helps makes the improbable, or impossible goal become real.
That’s what we’re about because we know that only by working together can we build our future now, and keep Delaware… moving forward.
