In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Florida communities have suffered displacement and damage, with many struggling to rebuild and recover from the destruction. The Tampa Bay region boasts one of the largest Greek American populations in the country, making it particularly crucial in the preservation of Greek culture in the U.S. Please contribute to the longevity and rebuilding of the vital communities of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa, FL and St. Stefanos Greek Orthodox Church in St. Petersburg, FL by donating to the National Hurricane Relief Fund.
Hurricane Helene hit Tampa Bay on September 26-27, causing catastrophic damage and leaving many displaced from their homes and communities. Homes near the Bay or Hillsborough River were completely inundated, with the historically-high storm surge requiring several families to be rescued from the second-floor windows of their flooded homes.
Just two weeks later, Hurricane Milton hit south of Tampa Bay on October 9-10. Though the storm did not directly hit the area as projected, the region was left without power for nearly a week, and between fifteen-twenty inches of rain fell on most of Tampa, coming through windows and roofs to flood houses. Becoming projectiles in the second storm, debris left from Hurricane Helene caused further danger and damage. The hurricane eye passed over nearby suburbs, including that of Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis, Proistamenos at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa, FL, whose home was inundated with rainwater.
“There are two emotions that permeate the Tampa community,” said Fr. Stavros. “First, there is gratitude…this could have been a lot worse,” he emphasized. However, alongside this gratitude, he continued, is much anxiety. Many “suffered catastrophic loss,” “Lots of people are displaced,” and others “uninsured or underinsured,” while many others have lost income, jobs, property, valuables, and memories.
The structure of St. John Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa also suffered severe damage in the storms. Fr. Stavros reported that the entire office/administrative building was flooded, as were two other buildings in the church complex. Twenty offices, classrooms, and meeting rooms were damaged, with floors, walls, furniture, and other content and files destroyed by the floodwater.
Other homes and buildings in the neighborhood around St. John suffered severe water and wind damage as well; experts estimate that it will take three months to remove yard debris and damaged furniture alone.
St. Stefanos Greek Orthodox Church in St. Petersburg, FL likewise experienced sweeping damage to the church and parishioners’ homes. According to Fr. Sampson Kasapakis, Proistamenos, over fifty parish households have currently reported moderate to catastrophic damage due to the storm surge and wind damage between the two hurricanes.
The church building itself was also severely damaged, leaving St. Stefanos with an estimated $300,000 of repairs needed. Water seeped through the community’s brand-new roof, causing acute damage across the entire church campus, from the stage’s soft spots and walls’ sagging seams to the impact on the fellowship hall’s ceiling, the church’s iconography, and the Holy Altar itself. Inside the church sanctuary, the stained-glass windows are pulling apart from the extreme winds endured.
The majority of the floor in the community’s Educational Building must be removed and replaced, leaving the parish without its ten classrooms and two offices typically used for Catechism and other ministries. Refrigerator and AC compressor appliances were also destroyed in the power surge. Outdoors, St. Stefanos lost two pavilions which were ripped from the ground entirely; its fencing will need to be replaced, and the community maintenance shed was also damaged. Nearly every tree must be cut down and stump grinded to prevent further damage.
Even in the face of such loss and destruction, Fr. Stavros notes that the storms have brought “so many gestures of kindness, both inside the community and outside of our community, that have demonstrated Christ’s commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves.” He expressed gratitude for the prayers, kindness, and generosity offered, emphasizing that St. John and all Floridians “will get through this” with the guidance of Christ and your support.
Both St. John and St. Stefanos need the continued aid of the greater Greek Orthodox community to recover from the devastation endured in Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Though the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides some disaster assistance, the funds received will not come close to covering the expenses of the damages done. Please help these communities in need by sharing widely and donating to the National Hurricane Relief Fund.
Photos: Frs. Stavros Akrotirianakis and Sampson Kasapakis.
SOURCE; GOARCH.ORG
