The BVI Beacon (October 12, 2017)

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In theirSurvivor’s Words Story — page 18

The light that comes from wisdom never goes out.

Thursday, October 12, 2017 |

Hurricane kicks up fundraising storm Donors advised to use caution

| bvibeacon.com | 50 cents

‘We were on our own’

Cut off by Irma, VG came together By AMANDA ULRICH aulrich@bvibeacon.com

L

illi Charles was sitting behind a folding table in an empty room above Scotiabank on Tuesday, an audio mixer By CLAIRE SHEFCHIK and laptop at the ready, a mic in bvibeacon@gmail.com his hand. In front of him, a sheet of Faced with the images of devasprinter paper read: “ON AIR, tation in the Virgin Islands after PLEASE BE QUIET.” Hurricane Irma, many of those Mr. Charles was in the midst with connections to the territory of commanding 88.5 VG ROC have been eager to help, reaching FM — the sole radio station for the only weapon they had: broadcasting in Virgin Gorda their pocketbooks. after Hurricane Irma — in be“We are in recovery mode right now. The most appropriate tween regular news updates. “There was a big challenge in donation is a cash donation, getting information to the local and there is a fund set up by Photo: AMANDA ULRICH community,” Mr. Charles said the government that can receive Theodore Stevens looks over the wreckage of his mother’s home on Tuesday in Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda. In the wake of them,” said Sharleen DaBreo, Virgin Gorda see page 8 Irma, the sister island was completely cut off from the mainland for several days. director of the Department of Disaster Management. The two official Hurricane Irma Relief funds are based in the United Kingdom and United States and hosted by fundraising sites JustGiving and Pledgeling. But with dozens of online fundraising sites allowing hundreds of multinational organisations, small businesses and By CONOR KING DEVITT individuals to ask for cash, all cdevitt@bvibeacon.com claiming to help the islands, many would-be donors are strug- Ricardo Ragnauth was frustrated. gling to decide who should get While working his way through the mazetheir cheque. like alleys, unguarded staircases and debrisThe VI government issued a filled side streets of Huntums Ghut, the BVI statement Sept. 11 concerning Red Cross volunteer had come to a disheartthe many Irma-related fundraisening realisation: It would be very hard to ers being solicited. reach everybody. “Several queries from the pub“It’s so random,” Mr. Ragnauth, 18, said. lic have been received seeking conThe H. Lavity Stoutt Community College firmation of the authenticity of a student was conducting needs assessment surnumber of the relief funds pro- veys door-to-door in the Fifth District last Photo: CONOR KING DEVITT posed for the British Virgin IsSurveys see page 16 BVI Red Cross volunteer Ricardo Ragnauth asks a few children in Huntums Ghut about their neighbours. Fundraising see page 17

Door to door, Red Cross surveys need Starts in Districts 4, 5 and 6


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