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K. Peter Turnquest, member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama, recently got a first-hand look at the housing project in Sweeting’s Cay being funded by the Rotary Clubs on Grand Bahama and its international organization. In the first phase of the project, nine homes are being constructed for Sweeting’s Cay residents, who were displaced as a result of the historically devastating September 2019, Hurricane Dorian.

Many of the residents of Sweeting’s Cay, which lies off the coast of East Grand Bahama, were forced to relocate while others remained, living in makeshift tents on their properties. On Friday (February 5) Turnquest expressed how pleased he was to see the progress that the civic organization was making in assisting Sweeting’s Cay residents to return home.

Click HERE to read more in the Freeport News

Rotary begins rebuilding project for Sweeting's Cay

By: Denise Maycock/Tribune Freeport reporter

The Rotary Clubs on Grand Bahama have embarked on the Sweeting’s Cay Home Repair project to rebuild homes on the cay, where residents have been living in tents and displaced for the past 18 months since Hurricane Dorian. Nine homes will be constructed during the first phase of the project, which is being undertaken and spearheaded by Rotary through funding provided by a private donor, the TK Foundation.

Rotarians travelled to Sweeting’s Cay on Monday, January 11, to officially announce the project to residents there who were very excited and eager about it. Nearly every structure was destroyed on the cay during the storm in September 2019.

Click HERE to read more in The Tribune

VIDEO: Rotary Clubs of Grand Bahama Island Receive Medal of Honour from Governor General of The Bahamas

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Rocky Creek rebuilding continues

By: Denise Maycock/Tribune Freeport reporter

The Rotary Grand Bahama Disaster Relief Committee, in its recent partnership with the Grand Bahama Power Company, supplied a truck load of building materials to residents of Rocky Creek in East Grand Bahama. The small fishing village was completely devastated by Hurricane Dorian a year ago. Every single house there was destroyed, and those families are now living in temporary structures until their homes can be rebuilt.

Through a significant contribution by GB Power, the Rotary Disaster Relief Committee acquired building materials from Third Dimension recently. Five Star Trucking provided a flatbed truck to haul the load nearly 40 miles to the settlement. Rotarians from the five Rotary Clubs, and Rotaract members, helped with offloading the materials to every resident.

Click HERE to read more in The Tribune

Rocky Creek residents determined to rebuild

By: Denise Maycock/Tribune Freeport Reporter

Although Rocky Creek was devastated by Hurricane Dorian, displaced residents have returned after a year determined to rebuild their small fishing village in East End. Those from the close-knit community of siblings who reside in the settlement are living in temporary structures on their properties where their homes once stood.

“We are happy to be back after being in Freeport for a year. It is not the same as it was before, but Rocky Creek is home, and we will rebuild it,” said resident Maxine Knowles. Ms Knowles is one of four siblings who lives in Rocky Creek with their spouses and children. The family’s matriarch – a native of Long Islander– who moved to Grand Bahama many years ago and settled in East End is 71.

Before the storm, the family decided to leave and take refuge at a shelter in Freeport, except for brother-in-law Paul Russell who stayed behind. He barely survived by clinging to a tree so he wouldn’t be swept away in the 20ft surge.

Click HERE to read more in The Tribune

Rotary Club of Miami backs Project GBI Rx

From: The Freeport News

The Rotary Club of Miami through its foundation has pledged its full support of Project GBI Rx, which was established to provide much-needed equipment for the Rand Memorial Hospital (RMH). The club has pledged to match any and all contributions up to $50,000.

In a press release officers noted that in September 2019, Hurricane Dorian came to Grand Bahama and stayed. “Days of rain created high waters never seen before by an island that has seen its share of hurricanes over the years. The Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport, the only hospital on GBI to serve 50,000 island residents, did not escape Dorian’s fury. Today, the building repairs are almost completed, but there is still a great need for hospital equipment to replace what was damaged.”

The five Rotary Clubs on Grand Bahama with two Rotaract Clubs have created Project GBI Rx to help replace the damaged hospital equipment.

Click HERE to read more in the Freeport News

Rotary Club of Freeport donates iPads and Intel Pentium Core desktop computers to Jack Hayward Senior High School

By: Sharell Lockhart

Times have certainly changed and along with it is the way students worldwide are receiving educational instruction, as a matter of fact, greater emphasis is placed on virtual learning in today’s COVID-19 sensitive environment. Parents are now required to purchase laptops and tablets for their children, which is difficult due to financial instability hence the Rotary club of Freeport has worked diligently to lend a helping hand.

Othyneil Pinder, Rotary Club of Freeport President proudly donated 16 Intel Pentium Core desktop computers and 12 iPads to Jack Hayward Senior High School on Tuesday October 27th, 2020 much to the delight of Principal Bronwen Smith.

According to Pinder, “The Rotary Club of Freeport in conjunction with the Mayfield Beach, Florida group are elated to present students at Jack Hayward Senior High School with much-needed desktop and laptop computers to assist with enhancing their education. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic virtual or hybrid learning is the order of the day and many parents are not able to purchase these electronics hence we thought it fitting to do what we can as an organization keen on rendering service above self to assist."

DORIAN: Rotary Responds (Video)

One year ago the Northern Bahamas (Abaco and Grand Bahama) suffered extreme devastation from Cat 5 Hurricane Dorian. In this video documentary survivors recount those terrifying times while Rotary and others sprang into immediate action to provide relief.

DORIAN: Rotary Responds from Craig Walkine on Vimeo.

Click HERE to view on Vimeo if do display above.

VIDEO: Dr. Kevin Bethel discusses COVID 19 in The Bahamas

During the Rotary Club of Freeport's weekly Zoom meeting on Thursday, August 13, prominent Grand Bahama physician Dr. Kevin Bethel discussed the current situation with COVID 19 in The Bahamas.

Dr. Kevin Bethel discusses COVID 19 in The Bahamas from mackeymedia on Vimeo.

Click HERE to view on Vimeo if no display above.

Rotarians join together to assist the Humane Society

Members of Grand Bahama's Rotary Clubs joined together to deliver a truckload of pet food and supplies to the Humane Society of Grand Bahama on July 23. This donation was made in honour of our beloved fallen brother, Richard Bates, who was a great supporter and friend to the HSGB.

Even in these difficult times, and after sustaining severe damage from Hurricane Dorian, the Humane Society of Grand Bahama is still doing a fantastic job caring for our island's animals.

Big "paws up" to them.

East End fishing industry being restored with Rotary's help

Video from ZNS Bahamas Northern Service

Residents in East Grand Bahama are closer to getting back into the fishing industry thanks to a project spearheaded by the Rotary Clubs on Grand Bahama. ZNS news reporter Megan Shepherd tells the story.

Click HERE to view the video on Facebook

Rotary East Nassau accepts $228,000 KPMG donation for Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in Grand Bahama and Abaco

NASSAU, Bahamas -- From being the first relief group on the ground in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, to coordinating massive relief efforts in The Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian, and spearheading the world’s efforts to eradicate Polio, Rotary Clubs have long been on the frontlines of humanitarian efforts across the globe. These efforts are supported not only by hardworking volunteer Rotarians, but also by partnerships with some of the world’s largest corporate entities.

At its June 19 virtual meeting The Rotary Club of East Nassau was proud to accept, on behalf of the Bahamas Rotary Clubs’ Rotary Disaster Relief Fund, a $228,000 donation from KPMG for Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in Grand Bahama and Abaco.

“We’re so appreciative of our corporate partners like KPMG”, said Barry Rassin, immediate Past President of Rotary International and a member of the Rotary Club of East Nassau. “Financial donations of this magnitude can have such a tangible impact on relief efforts, particularly when paired with an all-volunteer organization like Rotary. We are in a unique position at Rotary to ensure that every penny goes directly to where it’s needed most, and not towards administrative expenses.”

Click HERE to read more at RCEN.org

Rotary’s putting the ‘R’ in Dorian recovery

By Tanya Smith-Cartwright/The Tribune

Rotary International to spend approximately $10 million on the recovery of the island of Abaco, immediate past president, Barry Rassin has told The Tribune. Along with the $10 million comes a promise of Rotary staying with Abaconians until their lives return to some semblance of normalcy.

“A disaster comes in parts,” the Rotarian explained. “First there is ‘Immediate Relief’. Rotary Clubs in this country were unbelievable. They all stepped up to provide immediate relief. We worked with the airport, with registering individuals, we were on the boats that went to Abaco to bring in the evacuees. Each club adopted a shelter in the early days so they could help the shelter with whatever they needed like food and supplies.

Click HERE to read more in the Tribune

Bones Bar donates to the Rotary Water Plant

Thank you to Bones Bar, located at the Pelican Bay Hotel, for their thousand dollar donation to the Grand Bahama Emergency Water Foundation aka the Rotary Water Plant. Hurricane season is here and the water plant stands ready to assist should the need arise.

Rotary mourns the passing of Richard Bates

It is with great sadness that the Rotary Club of Freeport marks the passing of Past President and Past Area Governor Richard Bates on May 11 after a roughly year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Richard was involved with Rotary in nearly every aspect. He and his wife Monica attended numerous International Conventions and hosted countless exchange students from around the world. Richard's boat trips to Peterson's Cay were a highlight of every RYE student who was ever lucky enough to visit the island of Grand Bahama. He enjoyed introducing them to Bahamian food and culture.

Richard was also the keeper of the Rotary Wagon - a fixture at every Junkanoo parade. He loved to include Rotaract in manning the wagon and taught them the vital skill of cotton candy making. He also coordinated Rotary grilling burgers at the BASRA swim race, Humane Society dog show and many other community events. In addition, Richard spent many hours at the Rotary Water Plant and was always on-hand to assist after every hurricane with whatever needed done.

He will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. May he rest in peace.