Rubonia Community Center serving as a place of comfort for residents facing the unknown
RUBONIA, Fla. - Residents of Rubonia continue to clean up after Hurricane Idalia brought more than three feet of storm surge to their neighborhood.
"All my appliances and stuff is gone," said Atherline Murrell.
Atherline Murrell evacuated Rubonia before Hurricane Idalia left her neighborhood flooded.
"It’s hard because you’ve got to go back and try to repair that stuff and you come in and then that scent gets into your home you have to do with all of that," she said.
She’s not alone.
"The water did come up, as she said to the waist. I called emergency services, and they asked me if I was hurt. I told them no, but if they didn’t get to me, I would be hurt," said Mary Goff.
READ: Hurricane Idalia clean up begins in Bay Area’s hardest hit communities
Mary Goff joins dozens of other residents working to salvage what she can.
"I have a nine-room house, my mother’s house. I had just finished renovating it to the point where I thought it was very good. The water came in. All nine rooms are soaked," she said.
The Rubonia Community Center has become a hub for those facing the unknown.
"We’ve got a lot of damage in some homes and people may not have the resources to fix their home," said Louis Goff.
Louis Goff, the Rubonia Community Center president, is working to help family, friends and neighbors.
"It’s going to take some people years and some may never recover from the houses because they don’t have the funding," he said.
READ: USF researchers say Pinellas County beaches severely eroded following Hurricane Idalia
Manatee County and organizations like the Red Cross have stepped in to help.
Thursday night, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Manatee County Code Enforcement will meet with residents to offer help with ‘Coffee with Code’ at the community center.
"We change our hats. We go in to help the community and provide them with the benefits, resources, and information they need to recover successfully," said George McCorkle, the Chief of Manatee County Code Enforcement.
That includes giving advice on resources to help with repairs.
"We are going to work and do the best job we can to restore life back to how this community knows it to be," said Chief McCorkle.
As a bible dries outside Murrell’s home, she remains on the phone calling for assistance.
READ: FEMA adds Pinellas County to Florida’s Major Disaster Declaration
She knows her family has a long road ahead.
"It's not a good feeling, but we thank God as well for things as it is because we feel it could have been worse," said Murrell.
The Rubonia Community Center is asking for donations to help clean residents' homes from the flood water.
Items include Clorox, gloves and disinfectant spray.
Some residents also need help ripping out drywall and rebuilding.
To contact The Rubonia Community Center, call (941) 212-4327.
The Rubonia Community Center is located at 1309 72nd St E, Palmetto, FL 34221.
The center is open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.