CEDAR KEY, FL (352today.com) – A community in Levy County with an indomitable will that has literally weathered the storm time and time again retains its unwavering determination to rebuild in the face of adversity.
The City of Cedar Key offers tourists a welcoming environment, where friendly faces and heartwarming smiles create a climate, whose tenor is refreshing and inviting.
It’s the hospitable nature of people on the island that you first notice when visiting. Names such as Helene and Idalia still resonate; however, an unyielding and steadfast approach to overcoming the pitfalls brought by severe weather events has made the community a popular tourist destination, while recovering from the effects of the storms.
Resilience and restoration
Sue Colson served on the Cedar Key City Commission for 23 years, and as mayor for three years, finishing out the term of the previous mayor, when commission seats were vacated. Colson’s truncated mayoral term ended this past May, but she was serving in that capacity during Hurricanes Idalia and Helene, and when a fire claimed the extremely popular Steamers’ restaurant, which has reopened on the island at the 2nd Street Cafe, with a resolve that’s often talked about but seldom seen.
The municipality is very experienced with storms, preparedness, and is very good at clean-up. Yet the long-term recovery can still seem elusive, with the challenges coming from funding and permits being held up and having to contend with insurance and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as opposed to no FEMA, no insurance and no funding, said Colson.
“People can’t get loans on things that are non-insurable,” said Colson. “There’s this long-term [element] that’s the piece of the puzzle that we haven’t conquered. I think in 10 0r 11 months, we conquered pretty damn good, and this is because we’re prepared to do what we have to do, and we’re not crying.”
Anyone who comes into the island’s chamber of commerce, and who may have concerns regarding Cedar Key after the hurricanes, Colson quickly allays their doubts, by letting them know the island is terrific.
“Look at it, we’re blessed because we have workers and people that care, and we go back to the little things, back to our routine which is extremely good for humans, and getting our seafood festival (which occurred two weeks ago) under our belts was phenomenal,” said Colson. “It was a highly successful one. People were so glad to be back. No, we don’t have every restaurant, no we don’t have it perfect. but we are well on the way. I think that’s exciting. We always survive. You just have to clean up and put it back. “
A preferred destination
Author Michael Presley Bobbitt may very well be the community’s biggest advocate, highlighting the businesses that have reopened on social media, reaching out to prospective tourists and businesses, by stating, “We’re open. All we need is you.” The economic vitality is returning, an encouraging sign that would suggest re-emerging growth opportunities for existing businesses.
“Through its wild, hard-scrabble history, Cedar Key has grown accustomed to picking itself up and moving on from hardship, despite a constant parade of challenges,” said Bobbitt. “When you live on an island dangling off the coast, miles into the Gulf of Mexico, you are always at the mercy of big weather. Add to that a disastrous government banning of fishing nets in the middle ’90s, a move that decimated not only the economy but a generational way of life, and it’s easy to see why islanders have developed a thick skin when it comes to hard times.
“In Cedar Key, we have come to view the island as one big family. Out of necessity, we care for each other when difficulties come. This sense of community underpins our resiliency. The Gulf is the great provider and an angry god. It usually provides a rich bounty that sustains us, but when it comes from time to time to collect its toll, we are willing to pay it to keep living in the best place on Earth.”
The return of tourists is a critical component to the island’s economy, and as Cedar Key rebuilds, people who visit have to understand there are a number of challenges associated with the restoration, and what visitors may have been accustomed to previously. The pier is open. Work is being done on Dock Street, with businesses open and ready to welcome visitors.
“That’s what we need, we need you back, but you have to be patient, because the restaurant may take two hours,” said Colson. “You have to be patient bringing your groceries if you’re staying here. You have to be patient and understand that not everything is going to come to you quickly. We’re mending, we have the cast off, and we’re starting to go to the soft cast now. We’re ready to try harder. I think we’ve made some great strides and hit all the targets.”
Brimming with optimism
J.R. Sellers, of Cedar Key Island Bakery, has lived on the island for almost a decade and has seen its rebirth after the storms and hard luck, but it’s the community’s resilience and passion that’s palpable.
“I believe we’ve even come back stronger, we haven’t finished rebuilding yet, there are a lot of houses that need to be replenished,” said Sellers. “All in all, if you saw where we were a year ago, it looked like a war zone, you can see that the streets are clear, we’re back in business and we’re making headway.”
However, there are still those that need convincing, not understanding how far the island has come, succeeding despite the odds, with certain individuals focusing on the negative rather than the positive and how far Cedar Key has come in a short time.
“Yes and no–a lot of people are still thinking that the town has to rebound,” said Sellers. “Social media isn’t helping with the pictures of the pier down by the dock. That’s all they seem to see. They think we’re not back in business. We here at the bakery, we were spared. We had debris around the corner but thank God we didn’t get hit. Tell your friends that we’re open and back in business. Don’t turn your back on Cedar Key, come down, you’re welcome.”