If you are reading this, you can officially say that you survived Hurricane Irma. The mere size of this hurricane affected the entire state and left many of us scrambling for supplies that were already depleted because we sent most of our stock to the people of Southeast Texas after they were devastated by Harvey a few weeks earlier. For days, we all watched the news for the latest forecast and it looked like we were about to be kicked in the teeth by the mother of all hurricanes. As it turns out, we were simply inconvenienced by power outages, long lines for gasoline, downed trees and a lack of ice and drinking water. As we were spared major damage, the Lower and Middle Keys took the brunt of Irma and the post storm images are not pretty. Many long time Keys residents and businesses have lost everything that they had. Those that didn’t lose everything are facing months, if not years, of rebuilding.
The Keys will survive. That’s what Conchs do. However, those of us just to the north need to do whatever we can to help the folks of the Florida Keys recover and rebuild. I encourage you to find a way to donate to the relief efforts in the Keys and other hard hit areas. If you can’t afford to make a monetary donation, there are plenty of ways that you can donate your time. Please do what you can to help.
Keep reelin,
GENE DYER
Editor & Co-Publisher
Coastal Angler Magazine Fort Lauderdale
fortlauderdale@coastalanglermagazine.com
(954) 680-3900