OKEECHOBEE — Okeechobee has a reputation for being a town that takes care of its own. When a resident is sick or loses their home through fire or has an unexpected death in the family, Okeechobee comes together to help that person as much as they can. This caring attitude also extends to other areas as is proven time after time.

As soon as was humanly possible after Hurricane Ian devastated the West Coast, Okeechobee residents began planning ways to help.

Veteran Gregg Maynard is known for his work in the community, particularly when it comes to veterans. He is not too proud to get his hands dirty, remodeling bathrooms, building ramps, driving veterans to appointments at the VA and maintaining historical memorabilia in the park. After past hurricanes, Maynard spent weeks working in the small town of Lorida, bringing them food and water and cutting trees out of roads and off of houses and cars. This week, Maynard headed to North Port for a few hours then to Arcadia. He came back to Okeechobee to get his tractor and saws and headed back out today. This time, he plans to go to the smaller communities where they are not getting the help the bigger communities receive.

Steve Cone of X-22 Adventures is heading over to the coast to volunteer his help.

Haily Findeisen, whose husband is a firefighter in South Sarasota but lives in Okeechobee, said he is taking trailer loads of supplies for both humans and animals every time he goes over to work a shift. If you’d like to help with this, please message her on Facebook or contact Danielle Castano Parsons with Turtle Creek who has graciously offered to be a donation site for Hurricane Ian victims. They also have an option where you can donate money to purchase hay and horse supplies. Their address is 18301 Murray Lane Loxahatchee 33470contact info is 561 346 2942 or 561 573 6269

Dollar General on State Road 70 West (near Faith Farm) has a donation jar for cash donations and a box for supplies. Please stop by and drop off what you can spare, they said.

Hibbitt Sports in the plaza in front of Walmart is also taking donations. They will be taking a trailer load to the west coast. You can stop by to donate any time.

After Sheriff Noel Stephen received a call from neighboring sheriff James Potter from Desoto County asking for help with shallow water conditions and a need for supplies to trapped residents, he sent out a call for volunteers to head over there immediately. Cpl. Jack Nash, Cpl. Jose Garduna, Capt. Shannon Peterson and Cpl. Heath Hughes immediately volunteered with their personal watercraft. The men have been going back and forth with supplies since Saturday and will continue to do so. The OCSO pays for their time and will later be reimbursed by FEMA.

Auxiliary deputy Brad Phares of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office also took a team over to Arcadia this weekend, where they plan to spend the next week rescuing, cleaning up and doing anything asked of them. Jared Phares, Justin and Leslie Nelson are all a part of the effort, and Firefighter Ryan Hathaway loaned them his mudboat. Phares posted on Facebook that they were able to get food to people in Arcadia who had not eaten in four days.

Hurricane Ian is not the first rodeo for these deputies either. Just a couple years ago they took several runs down to the Bahamas containing much needed supplies after a devestating hurricane in 2019.

Phares suggests calling the Desoto County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line if you want to volunteer to help. They will know what and where you can be of most use.