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Treasure Island neighbors working to reunite memorial benches with sponsors after Hurricane Helene

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Published  January 7, 2025 10:29pm EST
Pinellas County
FOX 13 News

Reuniting memorial benches with sponsors

FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports on Treasure Island residents who are working to reunite all 88 memorial benches that were displaced by Hurricane Helene to their sponsors.

The Brief

    • Hurricane Helene left Treasure Island memorial benches lost to their sponsors – some were destroyed.
    • The bench program's coordinator is working to reunite these memorial benches with their sponsors.
    • They accounted for 77 memorial benches of the 88 that were present before the storm.

TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. - Treasure Island neighbors are working to reunite memorial benches displaced by Hurricane Helene to their sponsors. 

The city's bench program has been in place since 2017, and the program's coordinator, Richard Harris, said there were 88 benches across the island.

"During the storm, city staff tried to remove as many of them as they could. They were able to get about 25 or so. The rest just went everywhere," he said. 

READ: Artist uses beached sailboat in St. Pete to spread message of 'hope' after hurricanes

Since Helene, Harris and his neighbors have worked to locate and reunite benches to their sponsors. So far, he said they've been able to account for 77 of them. 

"Not all of them have done well. Some of them are almost completely destroyed," Harris said. 

Benches have been found in unimaginable places, including mangroves and docks. One bench was located four miles away in the water off of St. Pete Beach.

Harris said social media is a huge help in connecting found benches with respective sponsors. He explained that with each reunion comes an emotional response from sponsors. 

MORE: Final pass for storm debris collection begins Friday in St. Pete. Here's what to know

"They mean a lot. The benches mean a lot to the families," Harris said. "And because of that, we just want to reconnect the benches with all of the families that we could."

As of Tuesday, the group still has 11 more benches to locate. Joan Leak is still missing the memorial bench she and her siblings dedicated to their late parents, the Ebners. 

"We would make it a point every night to sit on that bench and think about mom and dad," she said. 

In the meantime, Leak is assisting Harris with the search. 

"As we bring these benches back and people are so emotional about them, it's really very rewarding," she said. 

After Helene, the city made the decision to keep memorial benches off the beaches. Harris said they would either be going home with someone or in a City of Treasure Island park. 

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Pinellas CountyHurricane Helene