Plymouth Native Rides Out Hurricane Sandy In Brooklyn

About 25 minutes uphill from the Brooklyn Bridge, Betsy Peterschmidt has seen some of the damage Hurricane Sandy has brought to the area.

Formerly of Plymouth, Peterschmidt shared photos and updates with her loved ones via email as luckily her area still had power.

Peterschimdt lives in the Clinton Hill neighborhood in Brooklyn. She lives on the Pratt Institute campus. Pratt is 125-years-old and its electricity relies on a steam engine built by Charles Pratt back in the late 1800s, which provided power to his shoe factory and other industries in the Clinton Hill, said Margaret "Bugs" Peterschmidt of Plymouth, Betsy's mother.

"We were told on the college tour that during the power outage in the late 1990s, Pratt and the surrounding area was the only place in all of New York City that had electricity, which is one reason we were so relieved she is still living on campus and not in an apartment farther away," Margaret said in an email.

Betsy sent an email Oct. 30 to loved ones saying Internet was intermittent and wanted to share a few photos taken of the area's damage from Hurricane Sandy. She reassured everyone she was doing fine.

"First of all, we are FINE," she wrote. "There isn't any horrifying damage in our neck of the woods. I think it was Manhattan that got the worst of it."

The photos show damage Betsy came across only a few blocks surrounding her street. 

"Some shattered windows, uprooted trees, and that poor white castle sign," wrote Betsy. "There were definitely some fierce winds last night though, we could hear it roaring. At the moment it is much calmer, but it is still windy and rainy. Weeee, thanks Sandy!"

Betsy is a Junior at Pratt and a 2010 Wayzata High School graduate. The hurricane weather hasn' scared her away from the East coast, she plans to stay in New York after graduation.

Local efforts through the American Red Cross are being done to help those impacted by the hurricane. 

The majority of Twin Cities residents can make donations locally via the Twin Cities Chapter.

Residents can donate by credit card at thesalarmy.org or by calling 800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769).

(Editor's Note: Do you know someone from Plymouth who was impacted by Hurricane Sandy? Or perhaps you know of more local efforts to help those in need on the East Coast? Let us know in the comment section below!)