Letters to the Editor
Help Restore Livelihoods, Hearts & Minds
Can you imagine if your home was leveled by a category 5 hurricane? Your dwelling as well as many others wiped out. Walls collapsed, your possessions blown away, and yet you would consider yourself lucky to be alive.
Hurricane Dorian was the worst natural disaster ever to hit the Bahamas, with sustained winds of 185 mph. Residents are still in disbelief of the damage incurred by this catastrophe.
The Bahamas is a country of over 700 islands, but not all of them are the glamorous tourist resorts you see in travel brochures. Green Turtle Cay is 3 miles long, 1/2 mile wide with a small local population of 400-plus people. Homes are modest 3- or 4-room structures. Nearly the entire island was destroyed in the hurricane. Businesses are not functioning, taking away the livelihoods of most locals.
Several wonderful organizations have stepped in to provide food and health care, streets are being cleared and rebuilding is beginning, but life will not be normal for this small island and its inhabitants for a very long time.
We were asked to help collect the following items to help as they restore their town, livelihoods, hearts, and minds:
- Single-serve Gatorade, electrolytes to keep workers hydrated
- Tool belts
- Work gloves
- Socks
- School supplies for children
Please drop off any donations to Travel Encounters, 8442 Mayfield Road, Suite F, Chesterland, OH 44026.
To schedule a drop-off time, call Josephine at (440) 729-2142 or email Josephine@travel-encounters.com.
Items will be accepted till Dec. 13.
A local company has generously offered to ship donated items to Green Turtle Cay on our behalf.
Thank you, in advance, for your kindness, donations and prayers.
The Ferry Family
Josephine Petkovsek
Owner, Travel Encounters
Chester Township
