Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools Jan/Feb 2018 | Page 14

UCPS Gives Back: Hurricane fundraiser connects survivors and Western Union Elementary students
On Sept. 20, Marta Cedeno watched rain
pour into the cinder block home that she’d
been living in for more than 30 years.
Like most Puerto Ricans, she had
seen her fair share of hurricanes in her
lifetime. But no one had ever experienced
anything as strong as Hurricane Maria,
which pummeled the small island and left
devastating damage in its wake.
“It was awful and I would not desire for
anyone to go through that,” Marta said.
After spending several weeks in Puerto
Rico without electricity – and, at times,
running water -- Marta and her sister Paula
were finally able to fly to North Carolina,
where they now live with Marta’s daughte