A steady stream of supplies including water, food, generators and personal items are finding their way to areas of Florida hardest hit by Hurricane Charley.

Truckloads of supplies have arrived at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Punta Gorda, in the Diocese of Southwest Florida, where the storm made landfall on Aug. 13. Good Shepherd was heavily damaged by winds, flying debris which punched several holes in the roof, and water. The church’s day school was also hit hard by the storm.

In Southwest Florida, the fast-moving storm ripped a portion of the roof from St. Edmund’s Church, Arcadia, causing extensive water and structural damage to the 70-year-old building.

Two sister churches in nearby Sarasota have organized a relief effort that has been so successful, parishioners at St. Edmund’s began sharing supplies with the rest of the town by setting up a community food pantry in the parish hall.

Church of the Resurrection, in the Orlando suburb of Longwood, reported perhaps the most significant damage in the Diocese of Central Florida, particularly to a classroom building. Several other churches in the diocese reported problems holding Sunday worship services in buildings without electricity. Historic Christ Church in Fort Meade and Christ the King, Orlando, reported many trees down, but relatively minor damage to buildings.

Several other Southwest Florida churches, from North Port to Fort Myers, sustained varying degrees of minor damage.

At press time, the fate of St. Michael and All Angels’ on Sanibel Island was unknown. Police had kept all civilians, including the island’s residents, from returning. As the storm gathered energy, civil authorities had urged residents to evacuate and then posted guards at the bridge to prevent looting. Church officials were expected to be some of the first back on the island when authorities deem it safe.

However, even though many parishioners in these areas did not lose their homes, power was still out to at least 1 million residents. Water was still shut off in many areas and phone service had yet to be restored. At press time churches were scrambling to find people whose homes had power to take in elderly residents who had a difficult time coping without air conditioning and running water during the typical hot, muggy August.

The diocese has set up a hurricane relief fund and has received donations from as far away as Oklahoma and Virginia. Episcopal Relief and Development is also accepting donations.

The devastation has also forced the diocese to find a new location for its Oct. 7-9 convention, which is usually held in Punta Gorda.

Jim DeLa