36
Tr o p i c a l T i d b i t s by Sue C Travel
Visit Bahamas to Help the Bahamas
As I sat down to write this edition’s column, I’d just been discussing with my Caribbean tribe of how fortunate we were to have such a quiet hurricane season this year. Then bam! Along came Dorion. No doubt you’ve already seen the apocalyptic aftermath left behind on Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands, so I won’t dwell on the destruction. But I do want to tell you how best to help, and why the Bahamas should still be on your go-to list this winter season. One way to help of course is through donations to well-vetted organizations that will make sure the funds go to where they are needed most. The Caribbean Tourism Organization is one such organization that I highly recommend: www.gofundme.com/hurricane-relief-fundcto.
But regardless of what you might have heard or seen on the news, you should NOT assume that the entire Bahamas is a no-go region right now. The Common Wealth of the Bahamas is comprised of 700 islands (though many uninhabited) covering 100,000 square miles of ocean. And though some of the northern region was badly damaged, much of the archipelago was not, including New Providence Island where Nassau and Paradise Island are located and host the bulk of the big, beautiful resorts. Most of the awesome Out Islands were also virtually untouched like Eleuthera where you can swim with pigs, or Bimini famous for its pods of wild dolphins close to shore, and Inagua, known for its abundant wildlife and excellent birding. And all the islands offer blindingly white sand beaches and stunning aqua waters, truly paradise for those seeking a winter escape. The Bahamas really need your tourist dollars right now to help rebuild the affected regions. So right now, the best way you can help the Bahamas is to simply to visit the rest of the Bahamas. These islands are all interconnected like one big family, so when you help one, you help them all.
Chefs to the Rescue?
After every natural disaster the first responders and unexpected heroes get a lot of the attention, but there’s a group of dedicated volunteers that get boots on the ground fast after hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and fires that could use a big shout out too. Chefs! The World Central Kitchen Relief Team has served more than 8 million meals to feed victims of natural disasters all over the world, and they were first on the ground in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, and now in Marsh Harbour in the Abacos- setting up their portable camp to feed thousands of hungry people free of charge as quickly as possible. Headed by famous Chef Jose Andres, the thousands of volunteer chefs and workers give their time to the needy during dire conditions, but they also need our help to keep going. Show them you appreciate their work by donating at: www.wck.org
Visit: www.bahamas.com
Photo: Lyndah Wells