Volunteers needed for continued support in Sarasota post-Debby

Relief resources available for Debby victims

With about $46 million in damage in Sarasota County alone from Debby, more volunteers are needed to help with the long cleanup process.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Michael Vance’s Laurel Meadows home of 20 years is a shell of what it once was.

"I might be a little bit ahead of the game on some things. We have a lot of older people in his neighborhood. Half of them don’t know what to do first," he said.

His community sat underwater for days following Hurricane Debby.

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"As long as that stuff sits there, the mold sets in and starts. The longer the dry wall stays in, it goes higher and higher and the next thing you know they’ll have to pull the sheets out," said Vance.

Emotions run high as homeowners have to sort through a lifetime of memories while getting anything out that was wet.

"The muck and gut is straightforward, we take everything from 4 feet, we cut a line in the sheet rock. All the sheet rock on the walls comes off. We need to dry out the houses, all the content comes out," said Andy Lyman.

Volunteers like Lyman, the former district governor with Rotary International District 6960, are there to help and will be needed through the coming months.

"Things have dropped off a little bit," he said, going from 50 volunteers a few days ago to only a handful on Wednesday.

A total of 85 homes make up Laurel Meadows. Lyman said only four had flood insurance.

"The typical muck and gut process is between 15,000 at the low end and 50,000, in between those. By you coming as a volunteer, that gives them a leg up with that amount of money to get their lives back and recover," he said.

Lyman lives one community over. He had the contacts and resources to bring them help, but he’s hopeful others will step up.

"I live next door in Artistry and when you have people that you see in need, and you feel helpless about what you or may not do. If it’s not me, who will it be?" he said.

Contact Joe Pokorney with Rotary International District 6960 at 941-544-7272 for more information.

Volunteers can meet at 9 a.m or 1 p.m at Der Dutchman Restaurant at 3713 Bahia Vista Street or Bayside Community Church at 8200 Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota.

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