[Editor's note: The following was submitted by San Carlos, Calif. resident Cheryl Ditargiani.]

By Cheryl Ditargiani

Karen Kline, a San Carlos mom originally from New Jersey, was quick to find ways to help her community back home suffering from the damage from Hurricane Sandy.

Karen sent out an email to her friends in the Bay Area, asking for items such as clothing and toys to send back to a friend on the Jersey Shore. Everyday, she would take these boxes to FedEx, and ship them to a friend who personally delivered these items to the Toms River community, which was badly hit.

In addition, her sons, Casey and Brady, along some friends, Jake diTargiani, Jack Pedrotti, Joey Scatena , Jasmine Oda, Carly Ramirez, Tali Beres, and Jack Rosenberg, started selling lemonade in front of their home. The sales went on for five days, and the boys raised over $800.

Karen has been getting gift cards for the families to use for whatever they needed. 

The generous people of San Carlos were very quick to respond to lemonade sales, and often times, paying more for their cups of lemonade.

Many children in New Jersey lost their backpacks for school in the flood so the community is in great need of these, if anyone wants to help. Contact Karen Kline at Seagull_Strong@yahoo.com.