{"id":292,"date":"2019-02-14T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-14T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wfsu.org\/local-routes-2\/?segment=bringing-hope-to-michael-survivors-in-mexico-beach"},"modified":"2019-09-03T16:19:39","modified_gmt":"2019-09-03T20:19:39","slug":"bringing-hope-to-michael-survivors-in-mexico-beach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wfsu.org\/local-routes\/2019-02-14\/bringing-hope-to-michael-survivors-in-mexico-beach\/","title":{"rendered":"Bringing Hope to Michael Survivors in Mexico Beach Area"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Journey to St. Joe<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"House<\/a><\/p>\n

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Mist blanketed the sleepy towns and tiny farms on our drive to the border of Mexico Beach & Port St. Joe, Florida. The station\u2019s SUV had a full tank of gas and the cup holders hugged fresh brewed coffee. However, the cozy confines of our SUV would not be accompanying us for long. Icy wind howled at us the moment we stepped out onto the shores of St Joe. It was unbelievably cold! Gusts from the beach bit straight through our clothes and into our bones! The dreary weather had followed a thirty-mile an hour rainstorm that was strong enough to blow down supplies at the distribution site we were visiting.<\/p>\n

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\"White<\/a><\/p>\n

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The site is dubbed by residents as \u201cThe White Tent.\u201d It\u2019s a giant\u2026 White tent that houses free supplies for residents to pick up. Beside the tent was our main interviewee, co-founder of Jarheadz BBQ, Brian Padgett.<\/p>\n

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\"Brian<\/a><\/p>\n

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His The company partnered with the Line in The Sand Foundation<\/a> to offer free hot meals five days a week at the Jarheadz BBQ food truck.<\/p>\n

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\"Jarheadz<\/a><\/p>\n

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The White Tent and Jarheadz are located side by side on a piece of land where a restaurant once stood. The restaurant is now crumbled in a heap by the roadside.<\/p>\n

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The People We Met<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Saralyn<\/a><\/p>\n

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A spry woman with white hair walked out of the food truck, down the ramp, and greeted us. Her name is Saralyn Harder and she volunteers at Jarheadz BBQ five days a week. While setting up our cameras she told us that Brian was out buying fresh meat and produce. She stood there with hands in her jean pockets, hunched from the cold, and smiled at us as we shivered in the bitter weather. We would interview her later in the day.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"Saralyn<\/a><\/p>\n

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Soon, a black pick-up truck pulled up beside us. Padgett hopped out, we shook hands, and then he began unloading new supplies. One of the items that struck my curiosity was boxes of soda. According to Padgett, water is easy to find, but some can get sick of drinking water day in and day out. That\u2019s where the soda comes in, it helps residents enjoy the small things.<\/p>\n

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