By Ashton Phillips
Hurricane Ian has affected many people in the towns and cities Ian has torn through. People may not think it could have an effect in Delaware County, Indiana. But the hurricane did affect people from Delta High School.
Ian was a devastating category 4 hurricane when it slammed into Florida. The hurricane killed 119 people in Florida. It also destroyed many buildings in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., a popular Spring Break destination for students at Delta and other schools in our county. Now, many people have to find a new vacation spot.
Spring break for Delaware Community School Corporation starts March 17, 2023. Students return to school on March 27, 2023.
With Limited information on if Fort Myers Beach will be open and available to the public during spring break, there are many people deciding not to go to Fort Myers Beach this spring break. Many have found new destinations.
A group of Delta seniors will be going to Madeira Beach instead of Fort Myers Beach. Madeira Beach is about 120 miles north of Fort Myers Beach and is close to St. Petersburg.
“I am going to Madeira, Florida now,” senior Kendra Keesling said. “The house we rented (at Fort Myers Beach) is not even there anymore and it got destroyed. We already had our money paid for it, and we did not get the money back.”
Sophomore Cooper Bratton is also going to Madeira instead of Fort Myers. His brother, Riley, got to choose their destination because it was his senior year. They are staying with some of their friends who have been going to Madeira.
“This is my first time not going (to Fort Myers) since I started going in sixth grade,” Cooper said. “The house we were staying in was the house we´ve been staying in, was not even there. It was destroyed.”
Senior Camden Berger was going to go to Fort Myers for the first time this year. Now he is going to Gulf Shores, Alabama. From Gulf Shores to Fort Myers is a nine and a half hour drive.
“I have been there a few times,” Berger said about having to return to Gulf Shores instead of going to Fort Myers. ¨I plan on going when I graduate with some of my friends.¨
