Valrico senior community taking care of each other despite hurricane damage

Neighbors step up to help community

A small community in Valrico is still struggling a week after Hurricane Milton made landfall. A lot of seniors live in Feather Rock Mobile Home Park, and they’re in need of help.

VALRICO, Fla. - A small community in Valrico is still struggling a week after Hurricane Milton made landfall.

Many seniors at Feather Rock Mobile Home Park said they still need a lot of help, but the community is coming together.

Sitting and chatting outside is something neighbors in the 55+ community have found themselves doing a lot lately. They just got power back on Tuesday.

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Neighbors after Feather Rock Mobile Home Park in Valrico in the aftermath of extensive damage and flooding caused by Hurricane Milton

"It's been very hard. We went without power. We weren't able to cook, as you know, without electricity and generators. It's a lot of seniors in here. We're all on limited income budgets," said Cheryl Barker.

Floodwaters still cut off homes from the rest of the community, while twisted and mangled metal remains after Milton ripped roofs off and trees crushed homes.

While they waited for the power to come back, a group of friends including Cheryl Barker, and Tom and Gail Myer, found a way to keep people fed.

READ: Seffner neighborhood dealing with alligators and flooded roads after Hurricane Milton

"The guys set up grills on the carports and we were just grilling what we could and feed as many people as we could. We took our golf carts and we delivered meals to people who couldn't get out," said Barker.

They managed to make sure their elderly and vulnerable neighbors had a hot meal – grilling up steaks, chicken and whatever else was thawing out in freezers.

On Wednesday, with the power restored, they gathered in the clubhouse, a potato bar on deck – serving up more than dinner.

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Neighbors at Feather Rock Mobile Home Park in Valrico are making sure everyone is taken care of after Hurricane Milton caused serious damage and flooding.

Because fences are all well and good, but good cooks make even better neighbors.

"We might be a 55 up community. But let me tell you what, these people work. They come from a different generation and they knew what needed to be done. And everybody got out and they pitched in and we got it done," said Barker.

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