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Volunteers needed to help Anna Maria Island residents

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Updated  October 3, 2024 5:28pm EDT
Hurricane Helene
FOX 13 News

Volunteers needed to help Anna Maria Island residents

FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.

HOLMES BEACH, Fla. - Across Holmes Beach, lives changed forever one week ago. 

"Everything was covered. You could tell the water had been up 3-4 feet. Things were floating from this room to up there. We couldn’t even go in till we got the water out. It’s like this muddy, silty, mucky, stinky stuff all over everything. It’s a total loss. Everything in this home is gone," said Chuck Caudill. 

Caudill is a singer, songwriter and a resident since 1974. 

Hurricane Helene Coverage

"There’s lot of old stereo equipment in here, song books. My guitars in the closet which I’m afraid to open up," he showed FOX 13’s Kimberly Kuizon. 

He’s a neighbor and now working to save what he can. 

"The hardest part is seeing our friends and neighbors like you guys. Your family. Everybody is just so overwhelmed, there’s just so much to do. You have to get everything out of the house that you care about before it molds," he said. 

One house over, Paige Phelps wears a mask as she packs up items that didn’t get wet. 

"This whole home got 3-4 feet. Unsalvageable, uninhabitable," she said. 

Piles of belongings and memories sit outside. 

All too often, they become the subject of scavengers. 

"Help instead of taking things, and they’re not healthy to be taken away, that’s why we are throwing them out," she said. 

The Center of Anna Maria Island organizes volunteers like Ryan Quigley, Danny Whitley and the Sullivan family. 

At times, there are more people to help, than volunteers to respond. 

"We have 92, 80s, 60s, 70s all through all, single. Have no help. They’re alone," said Morgan Blackburn, the Director of Customer Service with The Center of Anna Maria Island. 

They’re asking for additional volunteers, daily. 

To help a community that’s provided memories for so many. 

"We need a lot of muscle. Our community members need help moving furniture, appliances, saturated rugs and things out of their homes. We need people to help with dry wall removal and really just get their hands dirty," said Blackburn. 

To help call the Center of Anna Maria Island at 941-778-1908.

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