JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Cleanup continues across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia as many are still dealing with the impact of Hurricane Helene.
Scenes of debris scattered all over have become a common sight. Some residents question where the work can even begin, but volunteers at Willowbranch Park in Jacksonville’s Riverside neighborhood said it starts with a helping hand.
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“I was surprised,” Kip Strasma said while looking at branches, moss and leaves spread out across the park.
Volunteers picked up the tree limbs they could and piled them up into easy-to-access areas.
“The bigger trees down is a little bit surprising that’s gonna be a bit more work,” Alex Rudnick said.
Some volunteers said they would normally be sleeping at 7:30 a.m. on a Sunday, but instead are out cleaning up a local park they frequently go and enjoy.
And while the work ahead of them is significant, they said they will do what they can.
“Many hands lighten the load,” Ann Stasma said. “I love that but it’s true.”
So they put on their gloves, pulled out the wagon and out the gloves, a wagon put together what they could for crews to easily pick up the mess.
“This is our park and every park is in a neighborhood,” Kip Strasma said. “It’s local and it’s us.”
Volunteers are hoping to have Willowbranch Park all cleaned up in time for the first Riverside Avondale Preservation Music Tour, a music festival set to take place on Oct. 12.
For more on that event CLICK HERE.