Disabled island veteran Breaux needs a few helping hands

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Islander Eugene Breaux, a Vietnam Navy veteran and president and founder of the Greater Pine Island Fishing Warriors (an organization dedicated to wounded and disabled veterans), finds himself in need of help Since Hurricane Ian destroyed his manufactured home on Pine Island, he has been trying to find help any place he can

“After the hurricane, I stayed with a friend for two weeks and when I got to the island, I went to my house and it was a total disaster Everything looked like it had been in a washing machine,” Breaux said The VA had given him an emergency supply kit, containing items such as a small nylon tent, sleeping bag, food and toiletries He’d kept this survival kit on hand for any homeless veterans who came his way in need, however, Breaux ended up needing it himself

“I pulled out that kit and I set up that little survival tent and the sleeping bag and that’s what I was living in for about two weeks. The wind and storms came and ripped the tent up and it was destroyed,” Breaux said

See HELPING HANDS, page 21

Above is some of the mess islander Eugene Breaux found outside his home after Ian PHOTOS PROVIDED BY EUGENE BREAUX rently conducting, over the summer, and the intent is to bring these amendments back to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration for adoption on Sept 5th,” Rodriguez said.

Currently, no building or structure may be erected or altered so that the peak of the roof exceeds 38 feet above the average grade of the lot in question, or 45 feet above mean sea level, with the lower of the two governing, he explained There are additional provisions related to the exemption of minimum required flood elevation in exchange for the average grade of the lot in question, and also provisions for preventing exceedances height in

See GPICA, page 20