Manager of Shalimar Resort Lost House & Belongings

Hi friends, this fundraiser is for Romas Vaickus, General Manager of Shalimar Cottages & Motel, and his wife, Alma. They have lost their home and possessions. My name is Karolina, and I am their daughter.

Hurricane Ian left several properties on Sanibel not only damaged but utterly demolished. One of them is Shalimar, whose every building has been splintered to rubble. Since 1959, the property has been a traditional, old-Florida resort and a home to the happy memories of countless visitors throughout the years. It was likewise my parents’ home for nearly 26 years, and the place where I spent my own childhood.

My parents lived and worked in a single building on the property, which housed the office and manager’s apartment, and which has been shattered and swept away in pieces. Having stayed on the island and sheltered in a loaned condo unit just down the street, my parents barely made out with their lives. Their every possession is now at sea or entombed in mud, including irreplaceable photographs and family heirlooms from our original home in Lithuania. Their vehicle drowned in a pool at the height of the storm.

At 63 years old, my parents must now reconstruct their lives anew. Shalimar was not only a job; it was my parents’ dedication and paradise, and my father continues to be committed to its rebuilding and further flourishing. I, too, consider Shalimar my home. I love Sanibel and know that this community will rebuild better than before and become stronger through this effort and as a result of this experience.

Your kind donations will be used to purchase clothing, medicine, personal care items, household supplies, and furniture for a future home. I value and appreciate every contribution, small or large, as I know it will go a long way in alleviating my parents' loss and contributing to their future security. Thank you very much.

With gratitude,

Karolina Vaickute