My good friend and customer Tom Ashby, who just this year bought a home on North Captiva, took the time to take these dramatic before and after pictures of his neightborhood and home, and send them to friends and family with the following letter. I think it is very much worth seeing by anyone who has an interest in what Charley did to our little chunk of paradise.Tom's letter reminds us of what is really important in life, and puts things in perspective.

Gang,

Well, by now most of you are aware that we have a home on North Captiva Island just northwest of Cape Coral and just a bit southwest of Punta Gorda, Florida. That would put us directly in the path of Hurricane Charley, a category 4 (Winds up to 155 MPH sustained….180 MPH gusts) that struck on Friday, August 13th, 2004. Actually, the eye passed directly over our house, so we had these winds from one direction upon approach and 180 degrees the opposite when the eye passed. Not fun.

Dixie and I were returning from a fishing trip in Canada and were at my brother and sister-in-law’s house in Marquette, MI when it hit Friday about 3:00 PM EST. We started back the next day and arranged to leave for Florida the following Friday. Even so, we were not permitted on the island until Sunday, August 22nd……8 days AFTER Charley struck.

Frankly, as you can see from the photos we were much better off than many of our fellow residents. There is still no electricity, nor water, nor sanitary facilities. We are being told that we could get electricity within 4 weeks. We’ll see. Only when that happens will we have water (from our wells) and civilized sanitation.

Although a tragedy, it was heartening to see the island come together. We are especially grateful to Emily LeCicero and her fiancé Terry who got the water taxi up and running the first day the FWC would allow it (Sunday, August 21st), and made sure we were on the first boat, Keith Baker (our guardian angel), the Peterson’s (fellow Conch Shell Drive residents) who were our lifeline for information in the anxious days before we got on the island through their web site, Beulah and the whole NCIC gang who are still working and sweating their butts off in what has to be one of the hottest Augusts ever in Southwest Florida (remember, no power = no A.C.), Bill Byrnes, Richard Cravens, and all the fire station volunteers, Jerry Gilliam who has agreed to help us rebuild, Larry Harper (a world-class guy and fellow fisherman), Butch Rickey (hang in there “big fella” – getting a “prepayment” out this week) for all the updates, the National Guard (responsible for clearing the roads and initial “crowd control”), the Florida Wildlife & Conservation guys and girls, and everyone else who has been a Godsend since the storm.

We are now back in Newburgh and have arranged to begin rebuilding. We appreciate everyone’s calls and can assure you that this is really no big deal. After all, it’s only “stuff”. No one was killed or even seriously injured. Our kids still love us, we have great health, and enjoy more than ever our grandkids and, of course, the 5 “puppies”. We truly thank God for all we have and feel so very, very fortunate to live in such a great country where we can have such things and enjoy them in the first place.

Finally, an appeal: We would like to ask everyone who receives this e-mail to consider donating to both the Red Cross and Salvation Army. These two organizations have been THE BEST to all the folks in Southwest Florida who were so badly hit by Charley. Only if you have been there and seen the devastation on Pine Island, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, etc, can you truly appreciate just what a tremendous contribution these two organizations make. There are so many folks who are still homeless, pretty much out of funds, living in shelters that need help. These two organizations have been there since day one. They deserve your support. Please consider a healthy contribution…

Again, thanks for your concern. All is well.

All the best,

Tom & Dixie

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