ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — Months after Hurricane Helene caused extensive damage to her business, Carol Hollenbeck, owner of Fit for Life in St. Pete Beach, is still waiting for crucial insurance checks needed to begin the final stages of rebuilding.
The damage from the hurricane was significant, with floodwaters ruining approximately 90% of equipment and rendering the building uninhabitable. However, according to Hollenbeck, considerable progress has been made in the months since the storm, and the business is poised to take the next steps towards full restoration.
The delay stems from missing insurance checks, which were reportedly mailed on January 23rd and were expected to arrive within seven to ten business days. Despite multiple inquiries to both the insurance company and the United States Postal Service (USPS), the checks have yet to be received.
“The longer we wait the harder it is to come back for a business,” Hollenbeck stated. “I’m ready to rebuild. I’ve got the green light from the city and my contractors are all lined up or ready to go.”
Hollenbeck described her surprise at the situation, noting that she had never experienced such delays before. The disruption is likely due to the closure of the local post office, which has redirected mail to an alternate location.
“I started reaching out to the insurance company probably three weeks after I hadn’t received them,” Hollenbeck explained. “They said just wait, because it’s being forwarded. I waited. I checked on them weekly.”
The insurance company has since canceled the original checks and resent them, but Hollenbeck is still awaiting their arrival.
Spectrum Bay News 9 reached out to the USPS for comment and received the following statement:
“The safety and well-being of postal customers and employees is a priority for the Postal Service. The St. Pete Beach Post Office is a leased facility, and we are continuing to work with the landlord to quickly resolve all facility-related issues and resume service as soon as possible. A final timeline for completion of work is not available at this time, but this remains an area of intense focus for local postal leaders. In the meantime, St. Pete Beach customers can continue to use the temporary alternate site of the Gulfwinds Post Office at 4222 22nd Ave S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33711. The Postal Service will continue to provide updates as soon as additional information becomes available. We thank our valued customers for their continued patience.”
