RUSKIN, Fla. — A retreat for veterans and first responders in Ruskin is working to recover from Hurricane Idalia flooding.

My Warrior’s Place is located on the Little Manatee River, and at the surge’s height took on waist-deep water in parts of the property.

As many as eight units at the retreat, including the resort's laundry room and gym, are now closed and unusable.

“Unfortunately for some, we had to call and cancel their reservations because we weren’t able to put them anywhere else,” said Kelly Kowall, owner of My Warrior’s Place.

“It’s amazing how well we’ve been able to clean up after this storm. To get it looking decent again, so if someone comes out, they don’t realize how bad it really was.”

But the scars from Idalia become more obvious when seeing the units flooded by brackish water.

Dehumidifiers and fans are running around the clock, and the extent of damage won't be known until the units are dried out and assessed.

The units impacted by surge water have already been cleared out, with most of the furniture thrown in dumpsters.

Dozens of volunteers have been working since the Hurricane to clean up the property, with hopes the damaged units can be repaired and reopened quickly.

Kowall says she developed My Warrior’s Place in 2012 after her son’s death during a combat mission in Afghanistan.

And it’s his memory, Kowall says, that is helping to fuel to cleanup work.

“He was always big on helping veterans, especially. And he would always say, 'Is there anything I can do for you?'" Kowall said.

My Warrior’s Place now has a donations link set up for anyone wanting to help with recovery.

You can also visit My Warrior’s Place website to donate, or for more information on the retreat.