Sing Tao Newspaper published an article that highlighted several individuals in Chinatown who braved the blackout and decided to open up shop to serve their community, while many others, despite medical obligations to serve their community remained shuttered.
. We've provided the English translation of this article below.
他們擔心有些老人家沒有準備足夠藥物，因此決定繼續開業。
本報記者王鏑紐約報道：近日華埠大停電，很多商家無法開店，但也有一些商店花盡心思繼續開門，為僑胞提供必需的日常服務，當中有不少感人情節，而且停電期間風雨無阻，贏得不少區內民眾的讚喻。
東百老匯永順酒家便是其中之一，老闆KK胡昨（2日）坦言，他原本只是不想浪費食物和減少損失，因此桑迪來襲的第一天就用發電機繼續營運，但是後來發現附近很多居民因為缺電生活狼狽不堪，因此索性借給其他人充手機，有些商家充電一次3元，但他就不收分文。KK胡說，「顧客都是這裡附近的居民，我們就當行個方便吧。」昨天更有一名西裔女士入來借電，手機充電後顯得感激不盡，即使兩人沒有多少共通的語言。
僑胞黃立人說，大停電前他沒有任何準備，當天所有店舖都關門了，只有永順開張，「除了可以吃到燙口的熱叉燒米粉之外，與其他人一起也讓我心情也改善了很多。而且永順沒有漲價，十分難得。」還有一位的士司機則一邊吃著碟飯一邊說：「這次老闆是為人民服務。」KK胡笑說，「這次是很多人的功勞，其實我們的廚師也沒法上班，剛好附近有街坊懂得入廚，我們就請他們來幫助。還有很多客人都使用信用卡，小費給的不多，但是我們的企?也不計較，仍然緊守崗位，因為大家都明白這次的情況很特殊。」
另一方面，東百老匯的福州大藥房也是一直開店，馮姓藥劑師指著門外的發電機說，「我們看到勿街、堅尼路等很多藥房都沒有開店，但是華埠有這麼多老人，如果大家少了心臟病、血壓藥後果難以想像，所以我就還想還是應該開門。」馮藥劑師坦言這幾天都沒有賺錢，但他說，這次就算是社區服務，只希望保老人家平安。
家有逾八旬母親的社區人士李卓勳嘆說，他很幸運在颶風來襲前做好準備，但他對於很多藥房關門實在感到失望，他指藥房是涉及性命的生意，藥房老闆身家豐裕，他們在華埠賺錢，但卻沒有這種意識。而且州長也簽署命令停電期間藥房可以發出小量處方藥，無須醫生紙。
另一家位於包厘街的健康西藥房也是從停電開始每天12時至3時提供服務，負責人Amanda韓說，他們擔心有些老人家沒有準備足夠藥物，因此決定繼續開業，「不要說賺錢，賠本都要做吧。」事實上，參議員史葛靜助理張笑瑛到孔廈探訪耆老後也坦承，很多人反映他們藥物不足需要援助。
除此之外，停電也可見僑團的角色變化，僑團是華埠特色，先賢就是為瞭解決華僑移民的困窘而購買樓業成立僑團，雖然平時華埠僑團的活動眾多，但是今次大停電期間無論是中華公所、聯成公所、寧陽會館、福建同鄉會或其他僑團大多是重門深鎖，每天下班後從下城返回華埠陪伴雙親的一位李女士昨也漢說：「其實他們只要能開門給老人家聚在一起就是很好的服務，耆老可以互相緩解壓力，不過僑團雖然擁有豐富財力，但或者角色也正在逐漸改變。」
What is particularly disappointing is that only two of 25 pharmacies in Chinatown decided to
open up during the blackout to provide much needed medications to Chinatown residents.
For one, why are there so many pharmacies in Chinatown? and secondly, are there only two who will serve usduring disasters like Sandy? It's a sad commentary indeed that with all the money they make from the
local community, that they can't support us, when even tofu sellers and fruit stands made the effort
to open up.
Here is the article translated:
Moving Stories Happening In The Restaurant And Pharmacies
Moral Shop Owners Keep Their Doors open Against The Difficulty
(picture) Amanda
Hon says, they worry that some elderly people didn’t prepare enough medicines,
thus decided to continue the store’s operation.
Our reporter Wong Dik in New York reports: The recent
blackout in Chinatown prevents lots of businesses from their normal operations,
however there are also a number of ship-owners rack their brains continue to
open their doors to provide necessary day-to-day services for local Chinese
compatriots. Their benevolent acts are not stopped by either wind or rain in
the power outage and there are many moving stories, which won praises from
people in the area.
Wingsun Restaurant in East Broadway is one of the good ones.
The restaurant owner KK Woo yesterday (2nd of Nov.) frankly commented,
originally he just did not want to waste food and wished to reduce losses. So
when the storm Sandy struck on the first day, the restaurant was still
operating by using electricity generators. But later he found that many people
in the neighborhood fell in embarrass situations because of the power shortage.
Therefore he decided to open his door for others’ cell phone charging. Some
shops charge 3 dollars for each charging but he doesn’t ask for a single cent.
KK Woo said, "Customers are all people living nearby, so we just take it
as providing convenience to the others." And yesterday there was a Spanish
lady came for phone charging. When her cell phone fully charged, the lady was
much grateful even though she did not have much common topics with the owner.
A Chinese compatriot Wong Lap Yan said, he didn’t get any
prepare before the blackout. On the day that the storm arrived, all the shops
were closed except Wingsun. "Besides there are hot Cha Siu Mai Fun
available, staying with others makes my mood improved a lot. And the prices of
food here remained, this is very precious." And a taxi driver, who having
the rice served with meat and vegetables on top said: "The restaurant owner
totally SERVES THE PEOPLE this time ". KK Woo smiled and said, "The
credits go to many people this time. In fact, our chefs also cannot go to work.
Fortunately there are neighbors know how to cook so we invite them come to
help. Besides, many customers are using credit cards thus not giving many tips.
It is not a big issue to our waiters and they still stick to their positions
because we all understand that this situation is very special."
On the other hand, the Fook Chow Pharmacy locates in East
Broadway continues its operation all along. Pharmacist Fung pointed at the
generator outside the shop and said, "We see a lot of pharmacies in Mott
Street and Canal Street are not opened. There are so many elderly people in
Chinatown. If they are running out of medicines for heart disease and high
blood pressure, the consequences are hard to imagine. So I think I should
continue the business. " Pharmacist Fung spoke frankly, there is no profit
in these days. And he said he takes it as community service this time and hopes
the elderly are fine.
Mr. Lee Cheuk Fun whose mother over
80 living in the community sighed, luckily he has prepared before the hurricane
came. He said it was disappointed that many pharmacies suspend their
businesses. He pointed out that running pharmacies is a business involved in
lives, owners of pharmacies make money in Chinatown and became wealthy however
they don’t have the awareness of helping the residents even in the situation
the governor signed the order to authorize pharmacies to sell small quantities
of medicines to buyers without prescription presented.
Another pharmacy CTHC locates in the Bowery is open daily
from 12:00 to 3:00 since the blackout. The shop owner Amanda Hon said, worrying
about some elderly people who didn’t prepared enough medicines, she had decided
to continue the shop’s operation. "Regardless the profit, I will continue
to run the business even at a loss." In fact, Cheung Siu Ying who is the
assistant to New York State Senator Daniel Squadron, admitted after her visited
the elderly living in the Confucious Plaza, lots of people reflected that they
don’t have enough reservations of medicines and in needs of assistance.
In addition, people can see the changes of roles of local
Chinese associations from the accident. Chinese association is one of the main
features in Chinatown. In order to solve the embarrassments of Chinese
immigrants, the great and good of the past brought properties and established
the associations. Usually there are many activities being held in the associations
but this time during the power outage, no matter the Chinese Consolidated
Benevolent Association, Lin Sing Association, Ning Yung Association, Fukien
Benevolent Association or other Chinese associations, most of them close their
heavy doors. Mrs. Lee who gets back to Chinatown everyday from her work in
downtown Manhattan to accompany her parents also signed: "In fact, as long
as they can open the door to provide a meeting place for the elderly, it is
considered as a very good service, because old people can gather together to
ease the pressure. Although the Chinese associations have extensive financial
resources, their roles may be gradually changing. "
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