Personal Punta Gorda report.....

[dixiebreeze]

My son, Kurt, survived Hurricane Charley thank God! His home was in the direct path, but is intact, in spite of much damage. It was his first hurricane and he is awestruck at the devastation.

I was just able to reach him by cell phone for the first time today. Kurt is helping rebuild the county sheriff's office, that also sustained a lot of damage.

So thankful my family is safe.

[Matthew5]

Nice to hear that he is alright

[GalvestonDuck]

Thank God! Glad to hear he made it.

[Wainfleeter]

Wonderful news Dixiebreeze!!!! You must be one relieved parent!!!

[dixiebreeze]

Wonderful news Dixiebreeze!!!! You must be one relieved parent!!!

I sure am! When we flew out of Tampa last Thursday (around Bonnie), we thought for sure OUR home would be gone when we returned Monday -- instead, of course, Punta Gorda took the charge.

[scogor]

Dixie, so glad your son is safe!! The reports we are getting from Charlotte County are frightening!! One of the mobile home parks I represent has apparently lost at least 80% of its homes. What's interesting (and what the media is NOT telling us) is that most of the mobile homes that were built in the nineties or later with the newer, more stringent standards, survived the storm--and that most of the mobile homes that were heavily damaged or destroyed were older homes. Note also that the media is NOT showing most of the "stick built" (i.e., fixed-structure) home subdivisions or condominiums that were damaged or destroyed. I guess the aerial site of a mobile home park flattened by Charley makes for better theater but is certainly NOT the whole story and makes it seem that all mobile homes were unsafe in this storm which is certainly NOT the case.

[dixiebreeze]

Scogor, you are so right. The newer mobiles came through pretty well. My son's home was the standard Florida cement block type and fared ok, though some damage.

Newer mobiles have very stringent building specs, unlike the old single wides.

[rbaker]

dixie-bonnie blue, you got youngens all over the place, didn't know you had that many kids. Glad he made it through okay. You didn't need that after Diana.

[dixiebreeze]

dixie-bonnie blue, you got youngens all over the place, didn't know you had that many kids. Glad he made it through okay. You didn't need that after Diana.

Thanks, Rob. It's been a pretty harrowing summer. We just got back from Calif. last night and Kristine's wedding. With no way to reach Punta Gorda, we were awfully worried until we heard family in 'Cane Charley were ok.

[baygirl_1]

Glad you got good news, dixiebreeze. I know that had to be so hard til you got through to him.
One of my co-workers has family in Port Charlotte. They had evacuated to some friends' home near Orlando. They couldn't get home til today because a tree fell blocking their friend's garage, where they had parked their car. Once the tree was removed, they headed back home today. One of them is in a mobile home in Port Charlotte and she lost her porch and carport, but the home appears ok. They just haven't been able to get inside due to the debris. The other woman had some minor damage (tree limbs, shingles), but her cabinets fell off the wall in her kitchen! Still haven't figured that one out. My co-worker's going to check to see how that could happen without any exterior structural damage...?????

[bevgo]

Dixie,
So glad to ghear that your family is safe. As a mom I can understand how that must have felt.
(((((((HUGS))))))