Maryann King

Many people lost everything after the hurricanes this year. Maryann King lives in Saddlebag Lake Resort in Lake Wales, FL in a park of 800 homes or trailers. The three hurricanes completely demolished 150 homes and damaged all the others. She and her husband, Bill, had to flee the hurricanes, but they returned each time to help others who lost their homes or had a lot of damage.

King was in danger of losing everything just like others in the community, but she came back to help others. She and her husband worked diligently to help clean up as well as doing other things needed to help them through the restoration process. King was available to assist with reports of damages and also to help others take it a step further.

King hired workmen to clean up the debris, trees, branches and paid for it until she could be reimbursed. She also called churches and companies to volunteer to come to the park to work along with her husband. She made Sloppy Joes, Bar-b-queue pork sandwiches and other food for up to 30 people at a time. She paid for the food herself. She sends pictures of the places to those residents who cannot readily go home to their homes. King has even let people stay in her motor home while their places were being repaired.

It is amazing that King and her husband are so selfless and giving even in the midst of their own difficulties; however, it is most remarkable that King is 80 years old. Though she is a mature adult, King works to provide assistance and peace of mind to many out of state families, and food and assistance to many workers at the time of the emergency.