ST. MARY PARISH — In the weeks following Hurricane Francine, the Lakeside neighborhood has begun its transformation from a storm-damaged area to an idyllic suburban community.
Although roofs are still covered with tarps and crews continue to work diligently on the streets, efforts are underway to help the neighborhood regain its former shine.
Resident Bradley Schefferstein expressed gratitude for the progress made but admitted that he wishes he had taken the storm more seriously.
“I think we didn’t prepare as well as we thought we should have. It seemed like it wasn't going to be as bad of a storm, but it ended up doing a lot of damage to our friends and family here,”Schefferstein says.
Another resident, Roland Flick, who lost a window during the storm, expressed concern for the parts of Florida that would face damage ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall. “I have some empathy for the people over there because it’s hard to really know what’s going to go on with the weather,” he remarked.
Eriq Blanchard, a resident familiar with hurricanes, noted that the wind gusts during Hurricane Francaine were relentless. “Having a house here next to the lake with no wind protection is just different. I mean, I think we had 80 to 100 mph gusts the entire time,” he shared.
Although Blanchard lost his roof in the storm, he’s thankful for the support the community has shown in helping clear out debris.
Charlie Barron, another resident, emphasized the community spirit in Lakeside. “We got a great community of people here that have been helping out because some folks are more fortunate than others,” he said.
Barron also expressed optimism about the neighborhood’s recovery, stating that while Lakeside may look a little different, he believes a sense of normalcy will be fully restored.
“Some people are gonna get it worse than others, but at the end of the day, we’re all together, and I think we’ll come out of this stronger than we were before,” he states.
