Three Weeks AHI

And we’re not talking about Yellowfin Tuna.  

October 1st  It’s normally the time to plant my garden, and pretty up the yard; a time when we imagine a few degrees cooler temps in the morning. Instead we are sweating, clearing debris, viewing the brown piles along the road and golf cart path, and when fortunate, getting back a few loads of that beautiful hardwood mulch.  

Brown has never been my favorite color, I don’t even think it is a color.  I for one could use some relief… The good news is it's been raining the past few days and we have gotten re-leaf.  It feels like Spring with all the new shoots popping out.

I rather like driving around the Reef on Sunday to survey the progress that's been made. First of all it's a lot safer, fewer heavy trucks and service vehicles with which to share the road.   You are also more likely to see someone you know in a golf cart and stop to chat.  I remember seeing Teresa Holmes two Sundays ago, we stopped in front of the Chapel.  I knew this was not going to be the kind of anniversary year she had envisioned as Chairman.  I asked how it was going, she’d been here since Day Four AHI.  She said she had amazing and talented people on both sides of her and from above, referring to her late first husband, who instilled in her the principles she abides by: the willingness to work hard, and to learn all there is to know about a subject.  That combined with her relentless spirit; she seemed ready for the task.

Teresa texted me over a photograph taken shortly after she arrived.  The photo was taken in front of the Inn, all boarded up, the bell stand desk empty. As she stepped behind the desk; her expression says it all.  “This is the saddest thing… Ocean Reef without its people.”  

Everyone is doing hurricane related tasks, from the top level leaders, directors, and management to every Associate, many performing job assignments outside their normal range.  The Ocean Reef Community Foundation on Day 17 AHI began conducting help sessions for anyone in the Community who had a loss.  A team of pros are literally translating both in language and in terminology, the very confusing government forms for FEMA and other forms of aide.  They are filling out the applications online, and determining what help is available.

There were a number of firsts this Third Week AHI, Barry Reed turned the “Closed” sign to “Open” at the Raw Bar on Friday, and Reef Treats opened for Ice-cream for everyone, including the students of the Academy, whose first Day of school was at the beginning of the week.

More than once AHI, I have heard an ORC Associate say, “I have never been as proud, anywhere I have worked, in my entire life, as I am for this organization - OCEAN REEF CLUB - ”

Good people are making it happen.  And with a smile, for that we say thanks; and the worker responds with an even broader smile, “I don’t have a choice.”