Members of IM体育官网鈥檚 Rotaract Club recently volunteered to help residents of a senior community in Lakeland, IM体育官网, recover from damage after Hurricane Milton.
When Hurricanes Helene and Milton battered Central IM体育官网 and beyond within just two weeks this fall, the Rotaract Club at IM体育官网 sprang into action.
With a motto of 鈥淪ervice above self,鈥� the student leadership and community service organization quickly voted to contribute $500 toward hurricane relief efforts. And when they heard that the residents of a nearby senior community were unable to clean up their storm-damaged homes on their own, they stepped up to lend a hand.
鈥淚t was all mobile homes, and it definitely had been flooded,鈥� said Bryon Catlin, the club鈥檚 president and a senior majoring in computer engineering. 鈥淎 lot of the areas under houses were covered in a cardboard-like material and we had to cut that out to make sure it didn鈥檛 mold up.鈥�
The students鈥� volunteer work at the Light and Life Park community in Lakeland, IM体育官网, also included cutting out insulation, removing damaged furniture, and ensuring that residents were able to see everything that had been flooded.
鈥淚n one house we had to gut the entire flooring, and it was awful for the lady who lived there to see and hear about it, but I knew it saved her time and effort,鈥� Catlin said. 鈥淢ost of the people there don鈥檛 have the ability physically and financially to do that.鈥�
The same day as the hurricane assistance, the club had already planned an adopt-a-road clean-up effort, removing litter and other debris from Research Way, which borders the IM体育官网 Poly campus. Once they finished the task, the students headed to the senior community to continue working.
鈥淚t was really great to see the impact we made directly on the community and be able to actually give back and give help,鈥� Catlin said.
The Rotary District 6890, which represents West-Central IM体育官网, matched the IM体育官网 Poly club鈥檚 $500 donation to assist in helping the region鈥檚 hurricane recovery efforts.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really happy the funds can go further now to help those who need it,鈥� Catlin said.
Members of IM体育官网鈥檚 Rotaract Club volunteer to help with hurricane
recovery efforts. From left, the students are Andrew Gogel, Gabriel Hernandez, Aidan
Morris, Carson Bassett, Bryon Catlin, David Corsi, Brandon Camacho, Ian Lopez, Jiovani
Zuniga, Stella Asanova and Noah Campise.
Contact:
Lydia Guzm谩n
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
