<p>New Yorkers came out to Times Square on Friday (December 28) to participate in the sixth annual Good Riddance Day event.</p><br /><p>A giant shredder, along with a rubber mallet and dumpster were made available for the public to discard and destroy unpleasant memories from 2012 and mark a fresh start for 2013.</p><br /><p>Adam Ingber of Long Beach, New York was the winner of the on-line Good Riddance Day contest and kicked off the shredding event.</p><br /><p>Ingber and his family were displaced when Hurricane Sandy hit the densely populated U.S. northeast region killing at least 131 people.</p><br /><p>The super storm leveled entire beach towns, flooded subways and tunnels, paralyzed the nation's financial capital and knocked out power to 8.5 million customers in 21 states.</p><br /><p>As the winner Ingber received a check of $2,500 (USD) from the organizers that will help him start rebuilding his life.</p><br /><p>He said that shredding the memory of Sandy was cathartic.</p><br /><p>"It definitely gives us a feeling of closure. We moved into a new place last week. And you know, I don't have to go back to my old apartment building anymore so it's nice not have to look at that and nice not to see a 30 foot pile of sand outside my door every day," Ingber told Reuters.</p><br /><p>People were encouraged to write their bad memories on site and to put it in the giant shredder.</p><br /><p>Among them was Kim Rossi, whose community was also hit hard by hurricane Sandy.</p><br /><p>"I want to get rid of the sand and water that washed away our community and get our lives back, our homes back and our community back," she said.</p><br /><p>Katherine Sulenski was ready to get rid of her bad relationship.</p><br /><p>"The memory of the guy I dated. He stepped on my heart. I'd rather - I am ready to continue on without him," she said.</p><br /><p>The New Year's celebration will continue in Times Square on Monday (December 31) when a giant ball will drop to ring in 2013.</p><br /><p>The event will be broadcasted live and according to organizers will reach one billion people across the globe.</p>
