Keene native living in Florida helping coordinate Hurricane Ian relief
Oct. 11—Just days before Hurricane Ian made landfall late last month, Keene native Kelsey Nolan was ordered to evacuate her home in St. Petersburg, Fla., which at the time was directly in the path of the Category 4 storm.
But as she left to seek shelter further north in the state, the hurricane tracked south, ravaging southwest Florida communities like Fort Myers and Cape Coral. Nolan returned home a few days later to find that her residence was not damaged, and since then has dedicated her efforts to helping out those not so fortunate.
"I felt like I had to do something because it was supposed to be us that got hit and it was too close to home not to take any action to help," she said Monday.
Nolan, 27, is a board member of the Junior League of St. Petersburg, Fla., a volunteer group of women focused on promoting children's health, literacy and nutrition, in addition general volunteer work. After the storm passed, she immediately set out to see what the Junior League could do to help. She contacted representatives from Fort Myers Junior League chapter and collaborated to compile a list of needs for those affected by the hurricane.
On Saturday, Nolan said the Junior League hosted a supply drive in St. Petersburg, where 28 volunteers collected cleaning supplies, water, gift cards, paper towel, hygiene products, bedding, clothing, towels and toys from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers packed those items in a truck, which immediately went to Fort Myers, one of the hardest hit communities, to be unpacked and distributed. She said they collected more than enough items to fill a truck, and that the remaining ones will likely be transported this coming Saturday.
"This weekend was such a huge success," she said. "I have never witnessed a type of love like I saw this weekend."
After collecting supplies Saturday morning, Nolan and a handful of other volunteers made the two hour drive to Fort Myers and distributed donations in the parking lot of Aussie Grill, a local restaurant that provided dinner to volunteers and community members in need. The remaining provisions were either hand-delivered to different neighborhoods or sent to a local food bank.
Two of the most high-demand items, Nolan said, were cases of water bottles and cleaning supplies for people to clean up the mold in their homes from water damage.
Nolan said that while she was handing out supplies, some storm victims joined the volunteers to distribute donations, too, an experience she said was heartwarming.
"It was one of the best days of my life without a doubt," she said. "It was amazing to see people take what they needed and giving what they could."
Nolan, human resources specialist at international law firm Baker McKenzie, graduated from Keene High School in 2013. She continued her education at the University of Tampa, where she studied business management. She said the warm weather and proximity to her aunt Micky Beauregard that drew her to the Sunshine State.
When she needed to evacuate her condo ahead of Ian, Nolan went to her aunt's house in the Daytona area.
"I didn't know what I was going to come home to," she said. "The nature of the storms is that they're a little unpredictable."
Nolan joined the Junior League of St. Petersburg after she graduated from college in 2017. She was recently elected to serve as the board's executive vice president for next year, when she will oversee the management team, the day-to-day operations of the organization and its annual goals. She said the group has provided her with a great opportunity to interact with her community and help out where needed, especially during the recent hurricane.
Hurricane Ian made landfall on Sept. 28, near Cayo Costa in southwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The hurricane caused widespread flooding and loss of life along coastal Florida and inland. The the death toll from Hurricane Ian had reached 101, with 92 of those in Florida, by last Thursday, according to the Associated Press. The same day, Forbes reported that damages sustained from flooding and high winds are estimated between $41 and $70 billion.
Nolan, who said she's mostly used to the winter nor'easters of rural New Hampshire, said it was the first time she had seen such devastation from a storm.
"Homes were destroyed, signs were hanging everywhere and trees were bent in ways you wouldn't imagine," she said. "Everything was disorienting."
The Junior League of St. Petersburg has raised $2,500 in cash and check donations so far, Nolan said. That money will go toward gift cards for grocery and home improvement stores, which will be distributed to hurricane victims to help them bounce back from their losses.
Anyone who wishes to make a donation can do so through October 21 by visiting e.givesmart.com/events/tgw/.
Hunter Oberst can be reached at 603-355-8546, or hoberst@keenesentinel.com.
