Today I worked at the Edison Ford Winter Estates. Employees have been working to clean up the twenty acres of the property ever since Hurricane Ian hit this area almost two weeks ago. Let me tell you that I am proud of everyone that I work with. We have made significant headway and the estates plan to be open very soon. I love my workplace because of the pleasant people I work with who care so much about carrying on Thomas Edison and Henry Ford’s legacy.
On my way home I decided to stop at Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers to view the memorial that the people of this great city have put together to honor those who have lost their lives due to the hurricane. One of our very own employees, Marti Campbell, is memorialized on this wall. She worked in the book room, keeping track of the inventory of books we had to sell in the gift shop. I remember meeting her a few times. When I was a site historian at the estates, I liked to take my lunch sometimes in the book room, because it was quiet and was a nice place to take lunch from the hot temperatures outside. Marti came into the room every now and then and I would talk with her sometimes. I don’t exactly remember our conversations, but she was a pleasant lady and was loved by all at the estates. She will be missed.
When I visited the memorial wall today after work, it was a somber place. I parked under the Highway 41 bridge. I got out of my car and several people were sitting under the bridge eating. As I walked around, there were pieces of Styrofoam scattered throughout the area, imbedded in the grass. Huge chunks of concrete littered the park. I walked thru the park to see the memorial with flowers, pictures and notes posted up against the chain link fence which ran perpendicular to the Caloosahatchee River. Next to the memorial, running parallel with the river, was another memorial section with crosses and an artist in a black cowboy hat was painting different portraits and landscapes. Apparently, he had painted the crosses that stood in both sections, some with names of the dead on them. An atmosphere of sorrow permeated the area. I didn’t feel this sorrow because of the few people that were there looking at the memorial, but because it just drifted in the air. As I got closer, a couple was filming the entire memorial. I decided to do the same. I went along the memorial and snapped a few photos of people and pets as well, focusing on Marti’s photo with one of the crosses with her name on it next to her photo. What follows are some photos of human victims, pets and a few notes. It ends with Marti's tribute at the wall.
Seeing this memorial put me in a pensive mood, realizing that these pets and humans were at one time living beings, tragically killed by the winds and water of Hurricane Ian. I don’t think this community will ever be the same again. But I have faith in this community, because we all have been a comfort to each other through community service and will get through this terrible catastrophe that is befallen us.
Here is a youtube link to a video I took today also of Centennial Park and the Memorial.
Thanks for learning.
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