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Bonita flood evacuees make most of Labor Day with picnic
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Labor Day picnic at Estero Community Center
A Labor Day picnic for the Bonita Springs flood victims was held Monday, September 01, 2008, at the Estero Community Center.
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BONITA SPRINGS — The Imperial River is receding.
The flood in Bonita Springs crested on Wednesday; good news for those who saw the waters rising up to their homes and wondered if they would have to join the hundreds of other evacuees.
For now, at least, there will be no additional flooding in Bonita Springs.
The water is still high, though, leaving the evacuated areas closed off from their residents. So while the Imperial River cresting is cause for relief and jubilation, those already run off by the rising waters wait with no end in sight.
The 588 evacuees continue in their makeshift homes at Estero Community Park, celebrating Labor Day much like the rest of America — with a picnic.
“It is good for everybody, for the people,” said Virgilio Cruz, who has been at the shelter for a week since his home flooded in the Salivar trailer park.
The Labor Day picnic held at the Lee County Red Cross shelter was mostly just food with music blaring in the background. Most of the evacuees just sat, watched and ate, but a few joined in the festivities and danced a bit.
“We’ve got some music, so that’s OK,” said Emmanuel Zamora, who has been at the shelter four days since his home flooded near the Flamingo Island Flea Market. “The food was pretty good, and usually the food isn’t that great.”
Although the floodwaters are receding in Bonita Springs, most evacuees still have a long wait before they can return home. The Manna Christian and Salivar trailer parks are still closed off and completely flooded.
Further west, the water is creeping back some, and Zamora is hopeful he can return home Tuesday or in the next few days.
“I can’t sleep at all,” he said. “We’ve got a curfew, so we can’t do anything. There’s not much to do here.”
The South Florida Water Managements District has no estimate for how long the Imperial River will take to recede far enough for people to return to their homes. Rain over the weekend could cause the river to rise again, and more storms are forming off Florida’s coast.
“That is kind of up to mother nature,” said Susan Sanders, SFWMD spokeswoman.
As the waters linger, the Estero Community Park shelter continues to grow. Red Cross volunteers bring in supplies and serve the evacuees around the clock as more come in constantly.
“It has been growing every day,” said Colin Downey, Lee County Red Cross spokesman.
Anxious to return to their home, Cruz and his family knew they were going to be at the shelter for the long haul before heading south to Bonita Springs
“I don’t know; maybe they said we can come home next week,” Cruz said.
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"The South Florida Water Managements District has no estimate for how long the Imperial River will take to recede far enough for people to return to their homes.“That is kind of up to mother nature,” said Susan Sanders, SFWMD spokeswoman." This is oh so typical of the sf WMD. Just what exactly do they know other than how to collect our tax money, run people off of their land and wait for Mother Nature to tell them what's next? Hel, I can look at Nature myself and see what will be coming. Really now, what good are they?
#1 Posted by ravenhawk on September 1, 2008 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Raven, did you actually think they are professionals? This whole flooding with Fay, both in Bonita and GGE (which has recieved no press) shows the complete imcompetence of the WMD. When the water came up they went into hiding. Millions spent on models, no answers.
#2 Posted by swampbuggy on September 1, 2008 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
what size tire is that Swamp4 ?,,,, i bet i saw that same one out there back then too,,,,,,:-),,,,,i hear that "they " want to fill in the Kehl from the east end to some point in the west,,,just think of what the water will do Then,,,,,,
#3 Posted by Bullbat on September 1, 2008 at 10:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Rock,,,,, i agree with Swamp4 ,,besides my buggy was as full as it could get,Plus if you Must know,we Did have a bag of beer cans and plastics that the "Real Nature Lovers" always leave behind when they "go back to nature",,,, unless youve been there and helped pick up their trash,out in the swamps ,dont slam us,,,
#4 Posted by Bullbat on September 2, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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