Dear Friends of Bonnet House,

Thanks to the hard-work of our grounds and maintenance staff, volunteers, and outside contractors, Bonnet House was able to reopen for visitors on September 23 ^rd, twelve days after Hurricane Irma skirted Fort Lauderdale. Again, I want to say how grateful Bonnet House is for everyone who pitched in to secure the house and then help with recovery. Thank you.

While we are open for visitors—and eager for them!—look closely, and you’ll see there is still recovery work to be done. Emergency tree trimming and debris removal made it possible for us to reopen, but more extensive trimming will be necessary to create clean cuts where branches were sheared away. Why? Without a clean cut, insect infestation and disease can set in creating larger problems down the road. In the end, I am guessing tree damage will equal $15,000 to $20,000. This is in addition to the approximately $18,000 in lost admissions and museum shop revenue due to closure for storm prep and recovery.

The biggest Irma expense Bonnet House will face will most likely be related to the fence along A1A. The fence was originally installed in 1996 at a cost of over $100,000. Funding came from the City of Fort Lauderdale, partly in exchange for right of way concessions related to improvement of A1A. Constant sea spray and the 2005 hurricanes had already taken a toll on the fence and the concrete retaining wall on which it stands. Irma took down many sections, and while we have made temporary repairs in house, much more extensive work—if not outright replacement—is needed imminently. The final cost is unknown as finding a repair company is proving difficult, but it could easily equal the original $100,000 depending on the extent of concrete repair and replacement that is necessary.

Finally, the Boat House floor (already weakened from sea level rise and Superstorm Sandy surge) was partially dislocated. We are awaiting a repair estimate on that. My guess is that this will be in the $2,500 to $7,500 range. 

And so while the house and collection escaped damage, Irma has most definitely impacted Bonnet House and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I ask for your help. Please consider making a special gift to Bonnet House. Every dollar will count in helping us to continue recovery. 

As always, I want to thank you for your interest and support. Bonnet House is here today because of friends like you who love it and have nurtured it for so many years.

Sincerely,

Patrick Shavloske

CEO