The Colen Built Development team, once again, demonstrated their commitment to community support in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Helene struck the Gulf Coast area of Florida on Thursday, Sept. 26, as a powerful Category 3 storm, leaving numerous communities in our local area without power.
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Colen Built Development team took the initiative to organize a Hurricane Helene Relief drive to assist those in the worst affected areas, then mobilized to coordinate the collection efforts on Tuesday, Oct. 8. To maximize outreach, announcements were disseminated across various platforms and social media channels, including resident-targeted groups within On Top of the World.
A quick search was also conducted to find a local church with a disaster-relief plan focused on assisting local residents, and within hours, settled on Gulf to Lake Baptist Church located in Crystal River. Contact was made with Sports and Recreation Minister Chris Hope, who stated they were actively mobilizing volunteers and local businesses to assist local families in need. Minister Hope was thrilled to hear of the planned relief effort, stating he and his team would be on hand to do whatever was needed to help.
On the morning of Oct. 8, the Colen Built Development team arrived at the relief drop-off location early and set up, ready to accept donations at 9 a.m. Their planning efforts over the previous week were well rewarded; vehicles lined up, ready to drop off their donations by 8:30 a.m. And it didn’t end there! Thanks to an overwhelming response, by 11:45 a.m., a 34-foot box truck was crammed full of personal hygiene supplies, canned goods, cleaning supplies, pet food, air mattresses, sheets, towels, bedding, and so much more! It was so full that another large box truck and a full-sized panel van were pulled into action, each also filled to capacity.
Seeing the results, Colen Built Development President Kenneth Colen said, “Our community’s generosity is truly overwhelming. Thank you, and a big thank you to the volunteers who made this effort possible.”
On the receiving end of the relief effort, over 70 volunteers were waiting at Gulf to Lake Baptist Church, prepared to unload the donations. Upon seeing the number of items donated, the church minister, staff, and volunteers were overwhelmed, expressing their gratitude with heartfelt thanks for the “over the top” generosity of On Top of the World residents.
Senior Account Executive Adriana Arandia-Rodriguez from the Colen Built Development marketing department perhaps best summed up the day, “Today, we can proudly say that Colen Built Development has significantly impacted the lives of families in neighboring Citrus County and other families across Florida, all of whom will benefit from these generous donations. A special thank you to our residents, trade partners, community members, and employees for your overwhelming support. This response highlights what we can achieve when we unite for a remarkable cause; your efforts have made a difference!”
Photo Credit: Colen Built Development, “Colen Built Development team with the donations they received during their Hurricane Helene Relief drive.”
