Hope Rising Update #42

 Dear Friends,
 
The Gathering Place @ St. Michael's is coming to life with the next stage of permitting with the City of Sanibel underway. If you missed last Friday's video message that explained the purpose and vision of The Gathering Place, you can watch it here, https://youtu.be/O1YZMzlB0Ss. 
 
The Property Restoration Team met this morning and discussed The Gathering Place restoration status and our main facilities restoration status. There are a myriad of details involved in this process and I am deeply grateful to the members of the team who spend many hours working it.   

With each passing day, hope is rising on the island. There is a joyful spirit of celebration when each business reopens, when a new roof goes on a house, and when a resident returns if only for a short time to check on progress of their home. Even the resumption of yard waste being collected at the curb was cause for a major celebration in our neighborhood! There are several upcoming events that will bring the community even closer together; they are listed below, but I want to highlight two happening on the same day next week. 

Get Inspired! SanCap Volunteer Expo hosted by the Charitable Foundation of the Islands will be held on March 30 from 4:00pm-7:30pm at BIG ARTS. The event is designed for SW FL residents to learn how they can assist Sanibel and Captive recover and rebuild from Ian. CFI's Leadership Class created the event to bring together several non profit organizations to share volunteer opportunities are are available and it will include an inspirational discussion by Porter and Chauncey Goss at 5pm. St. Michael's will be at the resource table to share ways people can volunteer at The Gathering Place and with Angels on the Go.  Go to www.mycfi.org to learn more and register for this great evening. I encourage those that can to attend and see how you can use your time and talents for the recovery efforts. 

Also on March 30 On the Table SWFL is hosting community conversations for thousands of people gathering in small groups to help solve our region's major challenges. Anyone can host or join in the conversations. There are several times and locations on Sanibel, Fort Myers and the surrounding area. You can check it out at www.onthetableswfl.com. The information discussed during On the Table will be captured in a survey that will be conducted in conjunction with Florida Gulf Coast University that will identify region wide social priorities for the sponsoring foundations to work on.   

Finally, Peter Blaze Corcoran is looking for a place to stay during the month of April. If you know of a place or be willing to host him in your home, please let me know. 
 
Peace, 
Bill+ 

Sanibel Information:

1. The Breeze Newspapers is preparing a book marking Hurricane Ian and is in the process of collecting photos of the storm and its aftermath (the two-three weeks following). The book will include Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel-Captiva, Pine Island-Matlacha, Cape Coral and North Fort Myers. They are seeking contributions so as to make sure the book is reflective of not only hurricane damage, but of the people “who weathered the storm” and came through it. Aerials/drone/from the water shots are especially welcome as are photos of crews and teams in action during, and following the storm, as well as damage shots taken for assessment purposes. Also especially welcome are pictures of people performing immediate recovery tasks and/or assisting those affected. Source credits will, of course, be provided. Photo submissions can be emailed to Michael Pistella at mpistella@breezenewspapers.com.

2. There is a Flood Event Viewer that will allow you to see the exact flood levels for a specific address; it can be found at https://stn.wim.usgs.gov/FEV/#2022Ian
 
3. Conceptual plans for the repair of the Causeway have been released,but according to Jennifer Dorning, Community Outreach Manager with the Florida Department of Transportation they are still working on emergency repairs, mostly the “armoring” that you see with the sheet pile installation and the large boulders that are being placed to help protect the roadway. Permits for the permanent repairs are with the agencies under review. They continue working on refining the design to make the Causeway more resilient, while weighing costs, and maintaining the Causeway Islands Park. Photos are attached below. 

Upcoming Sanibel Events:
1. March 28 from 3-5pm visit the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village's celebratory opening and the new Sanibel lighthouse exhibit. 
 2. March 29 4-7pm We're Still Standing Celebration of the 95th Anniversary of the Community House. 
3. March 30 On the Table Conversations during the day and Volunteer Expo 4-7:30pm - see above
4. April 4 Ding Darling Reopens! Wildlife trail and Visitor center open, 7am-5pm with a ribbon cutting at 9:30am 
5. April 8 Community Egg Hunt at the Sanibel School Pavilion St. Michael's will be providing a craft activity for the kids. 
6. April 9 Easter Sunday - 8:30am Easter Service for the Island at the Sanibel Rec Center, hosted by St. Michael's.