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Lakewood Ranch students aid hurricane victims
Local students reached out to assist those struggling after Hurricane Milton
Katelyn Bagshaw and Cassidy Barnhardt - Mustangs Ahead
(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) - Immediately after Hurricane Milton, Lakewood Ranch High School (LRHS) junior Zachariah Kersey collected food and supplies and donated it to help residents in his grandmother's community, Colony Cove in Ellenton, for those stuck in their houses after the storm.
Hurricane Milton left many elderly residents with challenges involving fallen and broken trees, debris blocking exit routes, and lack of electricity. This had a profound effect on Kersey and he began to aid those in need.
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Kersey asked residents from his neighborhood, Greyhawk Landing, for donations. With the help of friends, family, and those around him, they quickly separated, bagged, and delivered the supplies to the Colony Cove Community Center.
“I came up with this plan when driving through my grandma’s community and seeing all the destruction,” Kersey stated. He mentioned that there were many people stuck in their houses and unable to get to the distribution centers.
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“The residents were very thankful for the food as most of their food went bad from the power outage and they could not go to the store to get more,” he said.
“I did this to fill that small niche of people who lost a lot from Milton," stated Kersey.
Isla Stewart – Mustangs Ahead
(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) - The LRHS girls soccer team helped pass out food to those in need after Hurricane Milton.
The Mustangs, led by Head Coach Cole Richardson, provided free food and drinks for those in need in West Bradenton on Mon Oct. 14.
Many are currently without power and in need of food and water.
The girls provided sandwiches, soup, chips, and granola bars as well as water and Gatorade.
Richardson made 40 grilled cheese sandwiches and a pot of tomato soup. Also, the team handed out 70 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to those without power and to workers trying to fix the power.
Richardson said, “It’s important to put yourself in other people’s shoes and to show up for our neighbors when they are hurting.”
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