By Ned Steele
If a church is a haven for hope and faith, Siesta Key Chapel has been called upon to deliver on that mission like never before following Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. Of its 150 year-round member families, 16—more than one in ten—lost their homes. A quarter of its 50 snowbird families had to delay their return to damaged residences.
Fortunately for those affected, the congregation has long emphasized mutual support and community, finding solace in the lofty, rustic house of worship they call “God’s treehouse.” In the immediate aftermath of the storms, parishioners and staff launched a robust outreach effort, using cell phones, emails, and door-to-door visits to identify members in need of assistance.
Their efforts uncovered many in need, and aid quickly followed, providing emergency supplies, temporary housing, and rides to doctors. Now, nearly four months later, the support continues. “We’re helping both church members and community members move belongings from one temporary residence to another while condos and homes are being restored, advocating for healthcare and housing services, assisting with FEMA and insurance paperwork, and providing rides to church, grocery stores, and doctors. We’re also quietly offering gift cards for gas and groceries to those who have lost work due to the hurricanes,” said The Rev. Dr. Ruth Smalt, church pastor.
While anyone on the key who experienced hardship or loss was challenged by Mother Nature, the parishioners of Siesta Key Chapel seem to have borne more than their share of the burden:
An elderly blind man in poor health had to be hospitalized after losing his home.
A woman whose mainland home was damaged by Hurricane Debby moved to the key, only to have Hurricane Milton destroy that one too.
A parishioner with dementia wandered off after the storm and was rescued by a church volunteer search party.
A displaced man fell inside his unfamiliar temporary home but still showed up on crutches the next day to join the congregation’s help brigade.
All this assistance was rendered while the church itself dealt with its own storm damage.
“I’m sure that without the church, this would have been much worse for us,” said Joyce Tucker, a 14-year member of Siesta Key Chapel. She and her husband, Sam, moved in with family in Nokomis after Helene poured nine inches of water into their ground-level mid-island villa, destroying nearly everything. “All we saved was two mattresses and a couch,” Sam said. The couple is grateful for the emotional support and offers of help they continue to receive from fellow worshipers. “People are still calling,” Joyce said. “They’re asking how we are doing and if they can do anything for us.”
Despite the distance, the Tuckers drive to Sunday services at the church, and Joyce runs the post-service coffee hour, where members with losses gather informally to share tips on dealing with FEMA or finding reliable contractors. “Church is restorative for us,” Joyce said.
Mary Metzler, a retired engineer, watched in disbelief as Helene’s floodwaters poured into the north island home of her late parents, where she had been staying after Debby devastated her own mainland home. When the waters reached 32 inches, she climbed onto the kitchen island and spent the night there, surrounded by floating furniture and belongings. Smoke began seeping from her stove. “I thought I was going to die,” she recalled.
The next day, she flagged down a motorist who drove her to a friend on the mainland, where she stayed for two months until her original house was repaired. Milton, she noted, “was kind of a moot point,” as it merely sent a tree crashing onto the roof of her parents’ home. The once joyful family home now makes her physically ill each time she returns.
Mary lives alone, with no family since her parents’ passing. At the Sunday coffee hour, “I have people who ask me, ‘How can I help?’” Sunday is the day of the week when she feels less alone.
