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Veterans, Other Volunteers Turn Out To Rebuild Nearly A Year After Sandy

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Volunteers – most of them veterans – were helping to rebuild homes in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn Saturday, nearly a year after Superstorm Sandy.

As WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported, over 200 veterans, along with other good-hearted people, took their weekend to rebuild six homes in the neighborhood.

Veterans, Other Volunteers Turn Out To Rebuild Nearly A Year After Sandy

"The reason that I volunteer is because it helps us to continue our service," said U.S. Army veteran Elana Duffy, "and it's a very similar feeling, almost, when you are out there and you realize that you've actually made a difference, and you've impacted somebody's life."

The volunteers are from the groups Rebuilding Together and Team Rubicon. They said the ability to help was an honor.

"Just seeing the impact that you do on people's lives – I mean, they lost everything. Some of them lost family members," said veteran Victor Londono. "And just to help them out any way you can, there's no greater feeling than that."

On Sunday, the volunteers will continue their efforts by rebuilding an American Legion hall in Seaside Heights, N.J. – a community that was ravaged not only by Sandy, but also by a fire that destroyed much of the boardwalk there and in neighboring Seaside Heights last month.

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