The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

As the leading sporting organisation in the country, the Bahamas Olympic Committee is doing its part to assist in the restoration of the lives of those Bahamians affected by Hurricane Dorian in Grand Bahama and Abaco.

BOC secretary general Derron Donaldson has announced that they have opened a relief drive where persons can contribute with items as well as cash donations to their office located in the JS Johnson Building on Soldier Road.

“We had some people from the other NOC (National Olympic Committees) around the Caribbean and the world actually, checking to see if we are okay and what they can do to help,” Donaldson said.

“So we have decided to coordinate a relief drive. We will be working closely with Head Knowles and the other organisations like Golden Wings Charter to do our best because we have a lot of people in the sporting community that have helped us and are suffering in Abaco and Grand Bahama.”

Donaldson said they are asking the public to drop off whatever they want to donate to their office between the hours of 10am and 4pm. Outside of those hours, he says persons can contact him at 359-3691 or president Rommel Knowles at 467-6528 or 357-7325.

“If they want to identify any specific person or group, they can label it, or they can just indicate that it will go to the overall group. Once we have packaged the items, we will deliver them to the people in need in those islands.”

In response to the requests from the NOCs around the world, Knowles released the following press release:

“Dear colleagues from around the world, thank you for your inquiry. Me and family are just fine, most of my Olympic family in the Central Bahamas made it through the storm with minimal damages.

“However, our families, be they personal and our Olympic family suffered catastrophic devastation in the Northern Bahamas. Thank you for your many offers of assistance as the Bahamas Olympic Committee will be coordinating our efforts to assist to the extent we can, thanking you in advance for your kind gestures of love.”

Donaldson said Knowles is in contact with their international partners, wiring their contributions that will assist in purchasing some of the items that are badly needed in the restoration process. In making their plea to the general public, the BOC is requesting the following items:

Canned goods, generators, clothing, toiletries, baby items (clothes, food and furniture), water, cleaning supplies, hygiene products and tools (chainsaws, hand saws, hammers, nails and screws).

Donaldson said the relief efforts is officially underway and so they are asking the public to come forth as soon as possible to make their contributions. He said the efforts will continue as long as they can because there is a drastic need for help.

“We just want to bring the sporting bodies together and see what we can put together and assist our persons in Abaco and Grand Bahama, who have given so much to the development of sports in the country,” he summed up.

He noted that it’s going to be a long road to recovery, so they want to ensure that the BOC, as the largest sporting body in the country, do its part in spearheading such an initiative to help those in need of help.