The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AN owner of a senior citizens home is requesting financial assistance to help house victims displaced by Hurricane Dorian.

Reverend Dr Kendal Capron, head of The Good Samaritan Senior Citizen's Home, said the facility is in dire need of funds to purchase the bedding needed to house persons at the home on Claridge Road.

"I only need some help to get some beds and to get those people out of Kendal Isaacs Gym….I had an 85-year old lady come into Good Samaritan Home. She told me that (the shelter) is the worst place. She said she couldn't sleep because of too much noise."

The senior citizens home has been in operation since the 1990s. According to Dr Capron, a second home on Claridge Road can accommodate some 35 storm victims.

However, due to lack of bedding, Dr Capron said he had to turn hurricane victims away.

"We've been asking for some help but... I don't have the money. I've had a lot of people who came, some brought children and all and some came with luggage. I have the space and so much people came here looking for some help, but I couldn't help them and it hurt me that I couldn't help them," he said.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Ranfurly Home for Children said the home needs school supplies for the displaced children it has taken in.

After Dorian devastated Abaco and Grand Bahama earlier this month, Ranfurly Home was one the many orphanages that opened its doors to displaced children.

The home's president, Alexandra Maillis-Lynch, told The Tribune yesterday that the home is currently housing 23 displaced children, all of whom are from Grand Bahama.

"The biggest need right now is helping us with textbooks and also laptops for the children who are at the senior level," she said.

"What we're asking for from people is please to help us with coupons for gas because we have three buses that go in different directions every day. As you could imagine, that adds up to a pretty penny of gas and some of the children are involved in recreational and extracurricular activities."

Mrs Lynch said that most of the children staying at the home have already been registered for several schools throughout New Providence.

"We've had two children accepted into Queen's College. Blairwood has accepted ten children. Charles W Saunders has accepted, I think, another three and Prince William High has accepted a few of the older ones," she added.

Monetary donations, she said, will also be used to assist with school fees.

Mrs Lynch said that it is her hope that all of the children will start school this coming Monday. However, in the meantime, children at home will be attending a temporary school set up by Windsor Albany school.

She said: "They take our children every day to help keep them occupied in a meaningful way until they are officially placed in a school…By hook or by crook, those children need to be in school because the older girls are already stressed out worried about their schooling and missing out."

Another non-profit organisation appealing for donations is Children's Emergency Hostel, which is currently housing 15 children.

The home is requesting financial donations. Lunch items and snacks for the children can also be dropped off at the home.