FREEPORT, GRAND BAHAMA ﾖ The efforts to rebuild and restore those areas hardest hit by Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in September 2004 got a needed boost this month. The Amoury Co (Freeport) Ltd and The Home Centre, a Freeport Concrete Company, donated a Compaq computer system with an advanced multi-function HP printer/scanner/fax/copier unit to Island Journeys, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that facilitates placing international volunteers into the Bahamas for disaster relief and community restoration for those areas that have been affected by natural disasters or similar events.
Island Journeys is the Bahamasﾴ national not-for-profit body that was started by New Providence Community Church (NPCC), Nassau, to create opportunities for individual transformation which in turn can transform communities and countries. Island Journeys already has hundreds of volunteers scheduled to work in Grand Bahama this year before the peak of the 2005 hurricane season.
Island Journeysﾴ Grand Bahama Island Coordinator Rebecca Russell and National Director Pastor Shaun Ingraham were on hand to receive the donation from The Amoury Co (Freeport) Ltdﾴs General Manager Tom Leeder and Freeport Concrete and The Home Centreﾴs CEO Ray Simpson last week.
ﾓWe work with teams from all over the Bahamas and many other countries, so a lot of our work is done electronically,ﾒ Mrs Russell said. ﾓWith this new computer system weﾴll be able to communicate with volunteer groups, donors, churches and the government that much more effectively.ﾒ
The Amoury Coﾴs GM Tom Leeder expressed that the company was pleased to support Island Journeysﾴ efforts: ﾓWe know that there are still many people in need on Grand Bahama and we felt that Island Journeys has an effective plan to meet those needs,ﾒ he said. Mr Simpson of The Home Centre concurred: ﾓA lot has been done but there is a lot more to do, so we are happy that we can help facilitate the work of Island Journeys to rebuild our communities.ﾒ
Pastor Ingraham, who is also pastor of community development at NPCC, thanked the companies for their support. ﾓWe believe that the key to a truly effective national preparation, relief and restoration plan is in the cooperative work of private corporations and NGOﾴs [non-governmental organisations]. So when companies like The Amoury Co and The Home Centre help support that, it means we can more effectively meet immediate needs and transform our own communities that are in need. Weﾴre thankful for companies like them.ﾒ
Island Journeys (www.islandjourneys.org) works with locally-based programmes to impact communities in need; Outeraction (www.outeraction.org), a community restoration programme of Pioneer Community Church (Freeport) is currently working along with Island Journeys to bring in volunteers to work in West End. Last week, the group facilitated the arrival and work of 45 volunteers from Clemson University, South Carolina.
PHOTO CAPTION:
The Amoury Co Ltd and Freeport Concreteﾴs The Home Centre donated a Compaq computer system and HP multi-function printer/scanner/fax/copier to the hurricane restoration efforts of Island Journeys this week. Island Journeys is the Bahamasﾴ national not-for-profit body that was started by New Providence Community Church (NPCC), Nassau, to create opportunities for individual transformation which in turn can transform communities and countries. Island Journeys already has hundreds of volunteers scheduled to work in Grand Bahama this year before the peak of the 2005 hurricane season. Shown L-R: The Amoury Co (Freeport) Ltd General Manager Tom Leeder; Island Journeys Grand Bahama Island Coordinator Rebecca Russell; Island Journeys National Director Shaun Ingraham; and Freeport Concrete and The Home Centre CEO Ray Simpson.
