Cedar Key Stands Together

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Posted Wednesday, October 2, 2024 11:30 am

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By Erika Thompson

My first thought, upon seeing the video of Cedar Key School today was “How was it not gutted by the flood waters?” I’ve seen drone footage of the devastation of Cedar Key. I have seen Ring doorbell footage of the torrent of floodwaters in the streets of Cedar Key, which must have been five to six feet or more at that point and still on the rise before the hurricane hit. It is a miracle, and a testament to engineering, planning, and building that the school is still standing, intact, and even a possible option for the students, at this point.

I had tears in my eyes when I saw that more than 200 residents and parents came together today to fight, clean, scrub, and scour to keep Cedar Key School open for their children on the island. Why did they do it? Why not take the easy road and bus the kids inland? The mayor of Cedar Key put it best. “The school is the beating heart of the island, and the students are the lifeblood,” said Bobbitt. “You can’t snatch the heart out of something and expect it to live.”

Don’t believe it? See it here: https://www.wcjb.com/2024/10/01/levy-county-school-officials-announce-reopening-cedar-key-school-after-residents-fight/

That statement pierces my heart like an arrow. Don’t we ALL feel the same on Marco Island? Our children are our lifeblood, our pride, and our future. Wouldn’t we fight to do the same? I believe we would. I know that I would. As a teacher at MICMS, I can tell you that EVERY CHILD I’ve ever taught on this island is entrenched in my heart. They are a part of me, and my family, for life. There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do to lift our children up.

I’m so proud of the response of our Marco Island Charter Middle School students and parents when they created “Island Kids Helping Island Kids,” and they continue to stand behind it. Donations are coming in left and right from our kids and families, and we are sorting and boxing things tomorrow to get to the Cedar Key School students as fast as we can! The MICMS Ecology Club has stepped up in a major way to lead this campaign, and I couldn’t be prouder of them than if they were my own children. They care. They care in ACTION, not just in words. Moms and Dads, students, community members…all have dug down deep to help the kids of Cedar Key. That’s who WE are at MICMS. That’s who Marco Island IS.

Thank you so much for your continued efforts, MICMS students, families and Marco Island residents. There isn’t a single one of us who can do this alone, but TOGETHER, we can move mountains for the children of Cedar Key, Florida. We all know that it just as easily could have been us. We all know what it is to love the island where we live and I believe we’d fight to keep it alive, no matter what.

If donations of clothing/shoes, toys, books, games, personal hygiene supplies and other needed items aren’t something that you can help with, but you still WANT to help, WE NEED YOU! We are starting a GoFundMe for the students of Cedar Key now. The islanders of Cedar Key are about to start rebuilding. There will be no tucking tails and running. It’s simply not in their character.

In the next few weeks, they are going to sorely need refrigerators and freezers. I don’t care who you are, you have to eat. We are raising funds to purchase refrigerators and freezers for the students and families of Cedar Key. We are also asking that if you have a working refrigerator/freezer that you’d be willing to donate, please email us at ethompson@micms.org. We will pick it up from you and we’ll get it up there!

You can find the GoFundMe for Cedar Key Fridges and Freezers here.

https://gofund.me/3fd51d31

We know that different people help others in different ways. These children and families of Cedar Key need us. Let’s show them that we care because, no matter what, islanders and island kids stick together!

Island kids stick together!!

Students, teachers, staff and administration in Cedar key are in need of your help! The MICMS Island Kids helping Island Kids service project and MICMS Ecology Club are working hard to secure essential appliances (refrigerators and freezers) for the residents of the Cedar Key community. Everyone HAS to eat and these families desperately need these appliances in order to store nutritious foods without fear of spoilage. Students at MICMS encourage you to donate your unwanted, working refrigerators, freezers, OR consider donating to our‘Support Cedar Key School with Essential Appliances Go Fund Me’ so that the students and residents of the island have the nutrition that they need to rebuild and stay strong through this adversity!

https://gofund.me/3fd51d31

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