Hurricane Relief: Freedom City Surf
Donation protected
Nearly ten years ago my mom embarked on the greatest adventure of her life. She packed up all of her worldly possessions, her dogs, and my youngest brother, Q, and moved down to the small Caribbean Island of St. Croix. With no formal training or business background, she started a small paddle board and water rental operation right outside of her tiny beachside cabin in the town of Frederiksted. After a couple of years the small rental business grew to include a surf shop, a bar, and a grill, becoming a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike.
Over the years, Freedom City Surf, as it is known today, has catered to thousands upon thousands of guests who have passed through the beautiful island of St. Croix as well as those adventurous spirits who have chose to take up residence and call the island home. People from all over the world have enjoyed Freedom City's famous hospitality - its beautiful views, its food and drink, its bonfires and musical acts, and its many local events. It is a place for families and friends, for athletes, for pets, for fire dancers and fisherman, and even for those few who fancy themselves as pirates.
So it is with a heavy heart that we report the devastating effects that both Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria has had on the beloved business. Much of what once was has been lost. The shop is now in shables and the bar has been torn apart. What little that remained has been subject to ransacking and looting. Without power and with emergency services slow to respond, the need for food, water, and supplies continues to grow by the hour. Yet even as the situation grows dire, we have not lost hope and remain faithful in our recovery efforts.
As we look forward to rebuild or, at the very least, recoup what has been lost to these two brutal storms, we wish to enlist the help of our friends, our families, our colleagues, or anyone willing to share or donate to our cause. It is our hope that the resurrection of Freedom City will only inspire and encourage other local restorative efforts to not only rebuild anew but enhance upon what was.
So please take a moment to donate, share, like, comment, tweet, or otherwise lend your support to hurricane relief for Freedom City Surf and the island of St. Croix.
Every little bit counts!
*Video courtesy of Silver Squid Design and Photography @ Adrianne Poe*
Over the years, Freedom City Surf, as it is known today, has catered to thousands upon thousands of guests who have passed through the beautiful island of St. Croix as well as those adventurous spirits who have chose to take up residence and call the island home. People from all over the world have enjoyed Freedom City's famous hospitality - its beautiful views, its food and drink, its bonfires and musical acts, and its many local events. It is a place for families and friends, for athletes, for pets, for fire dancers and fisherman, and even for those few who fancy themselves as pirates.
So it is with a heavy heart that we report the devastating effects that both Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria has had on the beloved business. Much of what once was has been lost. The shop is now in shables and the bar has been torn apart. What little that remained has been subject to ransacking and looting. Without power and with emergency services slow to respond, the need for food, water, and supplies continues to grow by the hour. Yet even as the situation grows dire, we have not lost hope and remain faithful in our recovery efforts.
As we look forward to rebuild or, at the very least, recoup what has been lost to these two brutal storms, we wish to enlist the help of our friends, our families, our colleagues, or anyone willing to share or donate to our cause. It is our hope that the resurrection of Freedom City will only inspire and encourage other local restorative efforts to not only rebuild anew but enhance upon what was.
So please take a moment to donate, share, like, comment, tweet, or otherwise lend your support to hurricane relief for Freedom City Surf and the island of St. Croix.
Every little bit counts!
*Video courtesy of Silver Squid Design and Photography @ Adrianne Poe*
Organizer and beneficiary
Frankie Chiapperino
Organizer
Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands
Marcella Chiapperino
Beneficiary
