HERNANDO BEACH, Fla. — Erin Daly learned how to organize volunteers in New York after Hurricane Sandy.
“Then the next year, we had Hurricane Hermine here in Hernando Beach, and I brought a pop-up tent to this location and said volunteers check-in. And we had a tremendous turnout,” she said.
Now, after Hernando Beach got hit hard by flooding from Hurricane Idalia, the volunteers are back.
They are part of the United Cajun Navy.
It’s a group that started after Hurricane Katrina.
“It is a 100% total volunteer organization. We rely on donations and grant money,” said Daly.
Erin is sending volunteers like Josh Dancsak to remove storm shutters and do basic cleanup.
“It looks like the line and the list is getting bigger every second. It is nice to be able to help. I was able to take a few days off from the fire department and able to help my own neighborhood, so it worked out great,” said Ransack.
At Fran Baird’s house, the Cajun Navy is cleaning rugs and moving cinder blocks,
“These ladies right here I hardly know, and they are out here helping me. So it’s wonderful,” said Baird.
After a difficult week, a little help goes a long way.
It’s just heartbreaking. And even if it’s just the difference between doing everything in their house or even doing just the last little bit that they need, it’s going to make such a big difference,” said Daly.
The Cajun Navy is set up at the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Hernando Beach and will be there all weekend, pairing up volunteers with people who need help.
