PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — As people are cleaning up from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, some of the biggest events in the Tampa Bay Area are being canceled.
"Unless you've been through something like this, you just cannot fathom," said Meredith Doubleday with Sanding Ovations.
Treasure Island is covered in debris, and homes have been destroyed.
"It was just devastating. We had two feet of water in the house and lost everything…and we lost two vehicles," said Doubelday.
Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, families on Treasure Island are working to recover.
"It's just so overwhelming, and it's breaking our hearts," said Doubleday.
What's making matters worse, one of Treasure Island's largest annual festivals is being canceled.
"Crying over a silly sand sculpting event…but it's so near and dear to our heart, and the people love it so much, and it's so positive, and we would love to bring something positive to this environment, but we can't," said Doubleday.
Meredith Doubleday is the head of Treasure Island's annual Sanding Ovations, a sand sculpting festival. She's also one of the sculptors, and while she thinks the event would be beneficial, it's not feasible with hotels closed, debris covering the streets, and homes destroyed.
"Our committee for the event is nine people, and six of us have lost everything in our home, so we are just trying to put our lives back together," said Doubleday.
On Treasure Island, neighborhoods are still covered in debris and belongings that people have to throw out after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and residents said they need to focus on recovering before holding an event.
"For them to decide not to have it, it's a really crucial decision…but we need the businesses, the residents, the families to get back up and running," said Carrie Auerbach, Treasure Island Adopt-a-Beach.
Auerbach with Treasure Island Adopt-a-Beach has been holding beach debris cleanups since Hurricane Helene and said progress is being made.
"We are cleaning up North to South, we are trying in a grid pattern, and right now, we are all the way down to the island end, which is about two and a half miles down," said Auerbach.
Doubleday is considering holding a smaller sand event in a couple of months, but in the meantime, she hopes to bring back Sanding Ovations next year.
"We are so resilient, and we will come back bigger and better," said Doubleday.
"My kids keep asking, 'Where are we going to live?'"
Over 500 people were rescued during Hurricane Milton at the Standard Apartments in Clearwater. Now, survivors with no place to go have set up camp in the grass in the Best Buy parking lot across the street.
