Florida Resort Documents Hurricane Charley Damage & Restoration with DVD Fundraiser for Resort Beautification Program

by Marge Lennon
Owner
Lennon Communications Group

How do you turn something as negative as a devastating hurricane that closes a timeshare resort to its owners for six months into something positive that everyone applauds? That’s exactly what the staff of Tortuga Beach Club did after Hurricane Charley ravaged the Sanibel Island, Florida resort in August of 2004.

When Hurricane Charley warnings were announced, the 54-unit Gulf-front resort was at full occupancy. According to Betsy Cain, now in her 20th year as Resort Manager, mandatory evacuation orders forced everyone on the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva to leave the resort the day before the storm hit. Fortunately, the Hilton Grand Vacations Company-managed resort had an evacuation plan in place for many years, and had exercised it in the past.

The storm knocked down thousands of trees all over the seven-mile long Island, causing severe power outages and making most roads impassable. Phones did not work for weeks. While the staff and owners were “hunkered down” off island, the most difficult thing was not knowing the condition of their resort and property.

Ultimately, all units were without power for two weeks; a full month passed before power was restored to the resort offices. Although there was limited storm surge, the hurricane caused widespread wind and water intrusion damage to the units as well as massive damage to the grounds and tropical landscaping. It would be nearly six months before the resort was reopened to owners and guests. Fortunately, HGVC had exceptional insurance in place that covered most of the costs for refurbishments and damaged landscaping.

After the staff was allowed back on the island, they worked tirelessly hauling broken trees and ruined landscaping. Knowing that the resort owners would want to see images of what had happened, they began taking pictures to document the destruction.

Resort Manager Betsy Cain and the entire staff had the idea to place the pictures on a DVD as a fundraiser for the resort’s Beautification Fund. This Fund was initially created to enable the resort to replace the annuals on the lushly landscaped property on an as-needed basis, typically three to four times each year. (The current budget allows replacements twice a year.)

Added Betsy, “We also wanted to purchase new identification signs for those lost in the hurricane and be able to identify the new shrubs and trees that had been planted. The DVD idea seemed like the ideal opportunity to make this happen.”

John and the Tortuga Beach Club staff took photos of the hurricane damage and its complete restoration process, ultimately placing about 135 photos on a DVD with a background of classical music. Added Betsy, “Our only regret was that we couldn’t document the heat, humidity and the full scope of the personal involvement of the entire staff, who really made this happen.”

The sale of the DVDs was announced through the resort’s quarterly newsletter. Today, the funds generated by the sale of the DVD have contributed significantly to the resort’s Beautification Fund and returning owners marvel at the continuing beauty of the property.

After the success of the DVD, projects for the resort’s Beautification Fund now include several programs. The sale of photographs taken on Sanibel and Captiva of wildlife by owner Rick Albrecht and note cards and magnets by Holly Welch, daughter of Board President Hugh Welch are also helping to raise money for the resort.

When Tortuga Beach Club reopened six months after Hurricane Charley, the 24-year old property was better than ever because everything had been totally covered by insurance. Equally important, the length of time the resort was closed provided the opportunity to make improvements they had not been able to do for many years.