BRADENTON, Fla. - In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, a local non-profit organization is making a big impact in its community.
The city of Bradenton and Keep Manatee Beautiful volunteers joined forces to clean up extensive damage left by Hurricane Milton.
"We have been out with the cities and with the county every single day since Helene from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.," said Jennifer Hoffman, president of Keep Manatee Beautiful. "And we will continue until all of the debris is gone."
From fallen trees to scattered debris, they're helping restore order.
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"We've done the downtown Bradenton area, and we are continuing all over the county making sure that businesses and residents can get back to normal as fast as we can," Hoffman explained.
Mayor Gene Brown was on the front lines, joining volunteers in clearing debris and helping restore a sense of normalcy.
"Even before Helene or after Helene and before Milton, we had picked up in the city 1.1 million pounds and Keep Manatee Beautiful with other groups had come and helped us pick up the little debris to keep it going, to get people's lives back together," Mayor Brown said.
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Keep Manatee Beautiful relies on volunteers and donations for their regular cleanups. This effort has been particularly important as the community recovers from the hurricane.
"To hear that the community got together and came out here, it's overwhelming," said Dawn Collins, owner of the Village Mystic and Mystic Mine. "I mean, it brings us to tears because we can go on and we can function and open up our businesses."
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The tireless work of volunteers is making a lasting difference.
"Had a great crew working and a lot of happy faces, and happy to pitch in," said volunteer Eirinn Camphire.
"This is my first day," said volunteer Laurie Certo. "It's been beautiful to watch everyone come out and participate, as well as the process we made."
The organization is helping Manatee County get back on its feet after the devastation of Hurricane Milton.
"It's a passion," Hoffman said. "It's a way of living. But it is what we do. We want to make and keep Manatee beautiful."
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