Hurricane Recovery

As the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva continue to assess the damage to homes and businesses after Hurricane Ian, some community organizations and concerned citizens have joined to create the SanCap Citizens for a Resilient Future. Their goal is to spark conversations on how to rebuild on the islands so that structures and people can become more resilient for future storms. The group recently hosted the first of two formal gatherings .

Naples mobile home residents feel helpless as community moves forward with post-hurricane rebuild.

The entrance to San Carlos Bay-Bunche Beach Preserve on John Morris Road will be closed every Tuesday and Wednesday beginning March 7 to allow the state’s licensed contractor to safely remove hurricane debris along the preserve’s coastline.

The access is at 5901 Bonita Beach Road, twenty feet off Bonita Beach Road on Lely Barefoot Boulevard.

Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina will reopens to guests on March 1 and remains under construction. The resort has been home to relief workers, construction workers, contractors and displaced residents following Hurricane Ian.

The Monday after Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida, a group of 5 created the grassroots organization, Rebuild SWFL, to aid the devastation in areas around Southwest Florida that were overlooked.

Paradise Tattoo, an award-winning tattoo shop, served a national clientele on Fort Myers Beach for nearly 12 years. Hurricane Ian destroyed many businesses, leaving them to figure out where to go and how to stay in business: including Paradise Tattoo.

A letter sent to officials in Sanibel Island Fort Myers said municipalities could be kicked out of the National Flood Insurance Program if figures from the property appraisers office are used when calculating if hurricane-battered home could be repaired or demolished

Salty Sam’s Marina and Pirate Cruise barely survived Hurricane Ian’s destruction. The pirate ship, called Pieces of Eight, is a 65-foot replica Spanish galleon, and made it through the storm. Pieces of Eight reopened its 90-minute interactive comedy show on Jan. 21, and has been hosting shows since.

The Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau (VCB) developed a four-stage recovery campaign to promote tourism in Lee County by spreading excitement as the current focus. “The goal is to show that the destination is bouncing back,” Tamara Pigott, the director of VCB said. “While things may not be “normal” just yet, there is still an opportunity to have an enjoyable experience and support the community they’ve so enjoyed visiting in the past.”