Swamped by Irma, tiny Florida town pushes toward recovery
The community church is preparing for its first indoor service since the storm this Sunday and the mayor says more than 90 percent of the town's businesses should be open when tourist season picks up in the next two weeks. But some are still complaining about the
"Who?" Mayor
Kenny and
They share it with their three young sons.
"Even the woman from
"When you consider it's a small community, I think we have placed our resources as best as possible," Anderson said.
But residents interviewed this week said their story is about much more than
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Residents desperately dried pianos, clothing, photos, family Bibles and other heirlooms — even though many houses are elevated 2 or 3 feet (.6 to .9 meters) and water inside reached another 4 feet (1.2 meters) or higher. What couldn't be saved was thrown into 5-foot (1.5-meter) stacks that stretched 10 feet (3 meters) or more.
Trucks eventually removed those mountains, and seasonal residents are returning to discover what's salvageable and toss what's not.
"It's a small community, so we all touch each other. We will get it back together," said Wheeler, a 33-year-old property manager and fishing boat captain. He added that the catch has never been better.
"It's not perfect but it's never perfect," Mayor Grimm said. "That's what people like about us."
Irma's waters did not spare
Pastor
"I've always thought there needs to be an awe factor when you enter a house of worship. We had that and we are going to get it back," Wallace said.
OUTSIDE HELP
A large truck backed into the parking lot of the nearby
But on this day, Pastor
"They had an obvious need," Asbill said.
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