provided to The Santiva Chronicle

The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce originally scheduled two office openings for Royal Shell on Tuesday, Dec. 13. The celebration for the Captiva Island office took place at 15050 Captiva Drive, but the second at 1547 Periwinkle Way was postponed until power is restored, which staff expects to happen soon.
“Fortunately, our Captiva and Sanibel offices sustained comparatively minimal damage and could be opened almost immediately,” said Siggi Ahrens, director of operations. “It was our base of operations during the first few days of surveying the damage to our owners’ properties.”
Royal Shell, which has been selling and renting real estate on the islands for 26 years, felt its presence on the island was essential to the repairs and recovery support its rental owners required. The staff assisted all islanders with water, coffee, and WiFi following the opening of the causeway. The company also owns Jensen’s Marina and Cottages, which survived the hurricane and will be built back for reopening.
“Recovery starts with each person and each business — first accepting where we are, and second, working toward tomorrow,” said Ahrens. “Things will be different, and we have to be part of that difference. We have to be a difference maker.”
“We congratulate Royal Shell for its quick recovery and thank the staff for its all-around support in helping the islands return to a state of commercial vitality,” said John Lai, chamber president and CEO. “Every day, businesses like Royal Shell give us hope for the future of Sanibel and Captiva.”
“We must work together to rebuild,” said Ahrens. “The chamber provides a vital conduit for helping each other.”
Leave a Comment