By Farrah Johnson

THE Community Services Department (CSD) of the South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day Adventist will host a fair to raise hurricane awareness and funds for supplies to aid affected communities in the event of a major natural disaster.

In a press briefing on Friday, Valentino Campbell, the South Bahamas Conference of SDA Community Service Coordinator, said the purpose of the event is not only to bring “awareness and preparedness” to the organization’s members, but also to the country “at large”.

“Over the years, we recognize that as a nation most of the times when we prepare or react things have already happened,” he said.

And so we want to bring awareness to our people by letting them know that we do not have to wait for disasters to come our way, but that we can be on the cutting edge.”

Stating the fair aims to raise awareness about “disasters on a whole” and not just hurricane preparedness, Mr. Campbell added the organization is “grateful” to partner with NEMA for the initiative.

Reflecting Mr. Campbell’s sentiments, Crystal Glinton, NEMA deputy permanent secretary, said the SDA plays a “very intricate role” in regards to disaster relief in the country.

“We’re most pleased to partner with the Seventh-Day Adventists Church [because] they’ve been a part of the organisation NEMA since the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd in 1992,” she said.

Mrs Glinton added that the agency will have a booth at the fair, where they will be distributing disaster preparedness information.

“We want the country to be resilient, it just takes one storm – in fact – just one severe weather system.”

“When the signal goes out to say you are to move or to relocate, whatever comes over the media, please pay attention to it and particularly to the news media in The Bahamas.

We know exactly the layout of our country and why we’re giving out the advisory,” she explained.

T Basil Sturrup, minister and director for the South Bahamas Conference, said the organization’s goal is to raise $30,000.

He explained that some of this money will be used to purchase “a few” 40-foot container trailers, which will be filled with hurricane supplies so that the church would be able to “respond to any requests” from NEMA, the Red Cross or the government.

He added that funds would also go toward preparing their hurricane shelters to ensure that they are “up to date and ready to receive people.”

“As one of the major religious organizations in the country we see it as our responsibility to be proactive in forward thinking as we prepare for this time of the year,” he said.

“It’s about awareness, preparation and the ability to be leaders in our community.”

When asked how the supplies would be distributed to the public, Leonardo Rahming the executive secretary for the Southern Bahamas Conference told The Tribune that the elderly, children and persons with disabilities will get first preference.

“We want to make sure that those who are less fortunate and those who have the most needs would get the equipment as needs be,” he said.

The fair, which will take place on Monday, June 10, at the R.M Bailey Park from 10 am -7 pm, will include kit training as well as demonstrations outlining how to respond in the event of a disaster.

The event will also feature performances by the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band, the Mount Mariah Transformer Band and an appearance by the K-9 unit.

Bouncing castles, cotton candy and “lots of food” will also be expected.