Local Rotary clubs hosting telethon to raise at least $50K for Dorian-hit Bahamas

The Rotary Clubs of the British Virgin Islands is moving to raise at least $50,000 towards assisting victims of Hurricane Dorian in The Bahamas.

Assistant Governor and Former President of the Rotary Club of Tortola Lorna Smith said the Rotary clubs will be hosting a live telethon on Tuesday, September 10 to achieve the goal.

“I am extremely proud and honoured to announce on behalf of the Rotary family that they have pledged $15,000 as seed money for the telethon. We, therefore, hope that that would be an incentive for people to give generously to our less fortunate neighbours and friends and family in the Bahamas,” Smith stated.

She further said systems will be put in place on the other sister islands to collect money for the cause.

“We would encourage everyone to give generously whether it’s $1, whether it’s $100 or $1,000. Every penny counts. We are not only involving Tortola. We are involving the entire British Virgin Islands,” Smith added.

The assistant Rotary governor also said some organisations including the Red Cross have reached out to the club to assist. She told members of the media during a press conference on Tuesday that she welcomes any other entity who wishes to follow.

The live telethon fundraiser will be held at the Rotary Club of Tortola headquarters at Maria’s by the Sea. It is scheduled to run from 5 pm to 10 pm; at which time persons can either call to pledge or show up in person to make their donations.

It is expected to be broadcasted on a number of local radio and online media platforms which will be announced in the upcoming days.

Additional Avenues of Raising Funds

Vice President of the Rotary Club of Tortola Ian Smith said alternative methods of collecting money will also be made available in the fundraising efforts. 

He said these will include a GoFundMe account, crowd-funding, and the use of credit card machines, which will make the process for some donors much easier.

“What we are doing is working with The Bahamas in terms of setting up that [GoFundMe] account up … These are not funds that are coming to us, it is set up going directly to the disaster fund of Bahamas through a US facility,” the Vice President stated.

Proven track record

According to former Rotary District Governor Vance Lewis, the club done telethons in the BVI before. 

“In 2004-2005 in South East Asia, we did a telethon and raised substantial funds and we helped support that community through Rotary clubs on the ground and then we had Hurricane Katrina in the Louisiana area. We also did a telethon jointly with the Lions and Red Cross to help there as well,” said Lewis who was the first District Governor of the British Virgin Islands.

He said the local Rotary clubs also did a telethon after the massive earthquake to rocked Haiti back in 2010.

The BVI and The Bahamas are both members of Rotary District 7020 where Delma Maduro presides as governor.