PINE ISLAND, Fla. — Football players from Ida Baker and JORTC cadets from Mariner High school are volunteering their time to clean up after Hurricanes Milton and Helene.
The first clean up stop was Kiwanis Park in Saint James City. Debris still lines the streets from Matlacha to Bokeelia. The two groups then moved to a home that needed repair.
Steve Howard is the Football Coach at Ida Baker.
"As you’re driving through, you see debris just everywhere, there’s just a visual part of the effects of what Milton has done," Howard says.
This is something these volunteers are working to change, including Cadet Lieutenant Colonel, Andy Seley.
"Pine Island never really fully recovered from Hurricane Ian, as is, and then Hurricane Helene came in for more damage, and then more with Hurricane Milton just a few weeks ago," Seley said.
Erin Lollar Lamber is the Executive Director of the Greater Pine Island Alliance.
"It’s absolutely outstanding, these young men and women would take out their time. Only 3 of the people out of all these children are actual island residents. Their parents drove them, their coaches drove them out here to help the community," she said.
