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September 20, 2019, West Palm Beach, Florida – In response to the unimaginable devastation wrought on the Bahamas by Hurricane Dorian, the Rosarian Academy community has been making every effort it can to reach out to the survivors, both those staying on the island and refugees in West Palm Beach.

At the beginning of the crisis, the Rosarian community collected supplies for people of the Bahamas, delivered on September 9, 2019, to the areas of Marsh Harbor and Treasure Cay in a plane chartered by Christian Searcy, a friend of the school. The supplies were delivered through a coordinated effort with the Archdiocese of Nassau.

The Rosarian Academy community collected carloads of supplies for relief efforts after Hurricane Dorian.

The Rosarian community is now focusing on helping the Bahamians who have come to West Palm Beach, Florida, to begin a new life. “In response to the humanitarian crisis facing the Bahamas and aligned with our mission and beliefs to live out the Gospel values, we are opening seats in our classrooms (with availability) to Bahamian children who no longer have a school to attend,” wrote Linda Trethewey, Head of School, in a message sent to the school’s families. She invited the families to open their homes to the children and to contribute to the Student Scholarship Fund to help pay for the education of the Bahamian students.

To date, Rosarian Academy has already welcomed eight students from the Bahamas. Other students are visiting the school and going through the application process. The school is also discerning ways it can continue to reach out to the people of the Bahamas and the refugees in Florida as the crisis evolves.

Rosarian Academy was founded by and is sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, which has had a long history with the Bahamas. In 1957, at the invitation of Bishop Paul Leonard Hagarty, OSB, five Adrian Dominican Sisters arrived in Nassau to open Aquinas College.

For information on the Student Scholarship Fund and on other ways to help Rosarian Academy in its relief efforts, contact the Advancement Office at 561-345-3109 or [email protected].

Palm Beach Civic Association Spotlight: Rosarian Bahamas Kids from Palm Beach Civic Association on Vimeo.