I just want to pause the normal programming here, and alert everyone to the fact that Dominica was hit very hard by Hurricane Erika at the end of August. This would be a tragedy anywhere, but Dominica has a very small economy, and it will be quite a challenge for them to repair all of the damage that has been done. Besides the infrastructural destruction that has been done, at least 20 people are known to be dead from the storm as of September 7th, as I write this. More are missing. The people of Dominica are suffering from the sorrow of lost loved ones, the destruction of their homes, and changed landscapes that may never be the same again. It will be a lasting scar for this little country that so few American’s know about.
We can’t help heal the emotional trauma that this disaster has imparted on Dominicans, but we can help with the relief effort. If you have the means, please consider donating to a reputable organization like the Red Cross in Dominica (link here for donating). If you don’t have the means, please help raise awareness for Dominica- not only for the disaster itself, but for this island as a travel destination as well. As mentioned in one of my links below, it would be a very hard hit for Dominca’s tourism industry to collapse due to the storm. I have several blog entries about this little island paradise for anyone interested (Morne Trios Piton, Roseau). It would be great for us to support our neighbor in any way that we can.
Here are some links with information on the storm and the aftermath in Dominica for anyone interested in learning more:
Dominica is Down But Not Out After Erika
stylespective
Hey thanks for spreading the word! We need all the help we can get! There’s also a fund the government set up.
waitingforrain28
No problem! Do you happen to have a link to the government fund? I will update my post with it.
stylespective
Hi. It’s http://www.opm.gov.dm/?p=1058