Vernon Resident Picking Up Where Irene Left Off

Vernon resident Eric Boulanger has found a way to help others - and himself - during the Hurricane Irene Cleanup efforts.

He's in his early 20s and is a licensed carpenter, so he has both energy and skill, but business has been slow, so he found a way to make up for it and pitch in at the same time. He bought himself a chainsaw, hitched his trailer to his truck and went door-to-door asking folks if they needed help with tree removal.

''There have been so many trees down, I figured I could help out,'' Boulanger said.

So far, Boulanger has had a few customers. On Tuesday, he was at a house in Vernon Center, cutting up and removing a tree that had snapped during the storm.

He takes the trees and the brush to the leaf collection center at Legion Field, where a temporary yard waste station has been set up.

He said weary residents come and go, just happy to get rid of the messes in their yards. He said two men from Maine came one day to collect hardwood and bring it back north.

He said he has a regular job lined up next week, but in the meantime he will keep looking for felled trees, 

"I'll keep looking for the work,'' he said. "Because I know people need this done. That was a bad storm and I'm glad I can help.''