PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas on September 1ST, 2019 as a Category 5 hurricane. Airports were flooded and roads made impassable after this most powerful Hurricane to hit the Bahamas in recorded history. Dorian sat over the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama for more than twenty-four hours, pounding them with winds of up to 185 mph and torrential rain before finally moving into open waters on a course towards Florida, leaving the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahamas totally devastated and more than 70,000 individuals displaced.
The students at the Caribbean International Academy (CIA) and the St. Maarten Montessori School saw fit to help the people of the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama, as they understood the need after being through Hurricane Irma in 2017. By means of Dr. Soc of Island 92, the students heeded the call of the seven Rotary Clubs of St. Maarten/St. Martin, Anguilla and St. Barth’s and joined their efforts to help with a monetary contribution to the Bahamas Disaster Relief Fund.
On Monday September 23rd, 2019 was a day of National Colors for the Bahamas, which the students were asked to wear the colors of the Bahamas (gold, aquamarine and black) to show their support and to make a donation to the Bahamas Disaster Relief Fund. With this initiative the students raised over USD 1,318.00. This was indeed an awesome fundraiser and the Rotary Clubs sincerely thank the students of CIA/Montessori for their outstanding effort.
It was reported on Monday, September 23rd the Rotary Clubs have thus far contributed USD 19,198.62 and counting to the Disaster Relief Fund in the Bahamas from fellow Rotarians. The Rotary Clubs of St. Maarten/St. Martin, St. Barth’s and Anguilla would like to express their sincere gratitude to the general public, who have supported their various projects and initiatives locally. We are now calling on the people in our region to stand with Rotary, one of the world’s most trusted charity organizations, and support us in our humanitarian efforts.
