Chamber Celebrates Reopening of Royal Shell Captiva Office

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.”

SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting the prosperity of its members and preserving the quality of life of our community. With more than 460 active Chamber members from both islands and businesses from Lee and Collier counties, the Chamber plays a key role in facilitating communication and cooperation between business, residents, and government to enhance the economic health of the islands. The Francis P. Bailey, Jr., Chamber Visitor Center is located at the entrance to Sanibel Island and welcomes tens of thousands of visitors each year. VISIT FLORIDA named the visitor center one of 13 official Florida Certified Tourism Information Centers in the state. It is open 365 days a year and provides comprehensive information about things to do, places to visit, and where to stay, shop, and dine. The chamber website sanibel-captiva.org receives more than 1.3 million website visits per year. For more information about the chamber, visit sanibel-captiva.org or contact Landen Collins, communications and marketing manager, at 239-472-8255 or Landen@sanibel-captiva.org.