Following the four-hour telethon, it was announced that some $145,000 had been raised; however, that figure has since risen to $160,000, according to Past President Lloyd K. Black, speaking at the Rotary Club of Tortola luncheon at The Pub at Fort Burt Marina on Thursday, September 19, 2019.

“We continue to increase our totals from the telethon. We are somewhere close to $160,000,” Mr Black stated, as he used the opportunity to thank everyone who continued to support the fundraising effort.

Mr Black also said the collection of funds pledged is going very well, noting there is just about $10,000 outstanding.

Gratitude was also expressed to One Mart Superstore for donating $10,000 to the fundraising efforts on Tuesday, September 17, 2019.

Portion of funds to be wired to Bahamas today

Meanwhile, a first tranche will be wired to the Bahamas today, September 20, 2019.

It is the hope of Rotary that in excess of $100,000 will be cleared to send in the first wire transfer.

The telethon, which was streamed live on all local visual and radio media outlets in the territory, was led by a panel of Rotarians that included Assistant District 7020 Governor Lorna G. Smith OBE; District Governor Delma Maduro; Past Assistant Governor Mr Gerard St C. Farara; Past District Governor Vance M. Lewis and President of Rotary Saint Thomas, Dr Gerry Smith.

There it was explained that the funds raised would be channelled to the Rotary clubs in the Bahamas for them to assist persons in need.

“So this is not a situation where persons or people or anyone else will have an opportunity to divert any of these funds anywhere or to impose certain operational costs and expenses that would deplete the funds,” Mr Farara had said.

Hurricane Dorian was the strongest hurricane on record to hit the Bahamas. Once it made landfall in the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm on September 1, 2019 it hovered over the country — sometimes moving at just 1 mph — for more than 48 hours. All the while, it caused storm surges and wind damage, decimating parts of the archipelago.

The death toll in the Bahamas has risen to 51 people and is still expected to rise further. 1,300 people are missing, according to the country's National Emergency Management Agency.

The UN says more than 70,000 people on Abaco and Grand Bahama need lifesaving assistance.