Help Big Sid and Brandy in the Wake of Dorian

The Fig (pre-Dorian)

The Fig (post-Dorian, upper right)

For decades, "Big Sid" Dawes has owned and operated The Lofty Fig Villas, taking over the family business following his mother's passing in the mid-80s.

Big Sid embodied the friendly small-town island vibe that made Marsh Harbour a unique destination and he worked tirelessly to improve the "Fig." Immaculately kept, the Fig eventually achieved the number one spot on Trip Advisor  for Marsh Harbour . Sid personally ran and managed everything; excellent customer experience was what mattered most.

Hurricane Dorian erased The Lofty Fig on September 1st, 2019. The town of Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco Island, Bahamas has suffered a great loss to their community, as have the people for whom Sid provided employment.

Dorian didn't discern between business and personal; Dorian also took Sid's house leaving both Sid and his faithful dog Brandy homeless. Nearly a septuagenarian, Sid has been left with nothing—no home and no business. Thankfully, he is no longer isolated on an island where the infrastructure has failed and living conditions continue to deteriorate.

I've personally seen the impact Sid’s had on those around him and watched him bend over backwards to help others. Whether it be a friend in need, or making a customer's vacation the best it possibly could be, Sid would give you the shirt off his back even if all he had was that shirt. His personality is larger than life. He is a great man and a wonderful human being.

The purpose of this GoFundMe is twofold, 1) help Sid get back on his feet, and 2) contribute towards rebuilding the Fig / his retirement.

A portion of the funds—or anything more than Sid needs—will be directed to the town of Marsh Harbour in order to help with reconstruction / recovery efforts.

I believe it will cost hundreds of thousands to put things right for Sid; the campaign will be adjusted up or down as more information becomes available.


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About the organizer: I'm a childhood friend of Sid's boys (and Sid). We were in Boy Scouts together, went to school together and I spent the majority of my adolescence sitting in their basement watching movies, playing video games and juggling.

Sid gave me my first motorcycle. Unfortunately he left for the Bahamas before I got around to rebuilding it, so we never got to go on our "grand ride" together.

When I'd go to Marsh Harbour I'd stay with Sid at the house (marathon Cribbage sessions!). I'm proud to be able to say Sid has been my friend for over 35 years. I can't abide Sid looking down the barrel of retirement and having to start over with nothing. I'm starting this campaign with a $100 contribution; I challenge everyone who reads it to please contribute what they can and please spread the word. Any funds not used to directly help Sid will be used to help other victims of Dorian in Marsh Harbour.
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Dear Donors, after a mix up with a donation I feel it's important to share the following information. Please note that all contributions are charged to your CC in USD. When prompted for "tips," please be sure to carefully review everything before finalizing your donation. Tips do not go to Sid, they are sent directly to GoFundMe (the organization) to help support the platform.

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Dear Donors, due to the way the campaign was created, I have been unable to allow Sid to make withdrawals from the funds directly. In order for Sid to be directly eligible as a beneficiary, he requires a US mailing address, US phone number, US bank account an an SSN.

After discussing with both Sid and GoFundMe and deciding there was no better alternative, it was decided to add my name as the beneficiary. I'm uncomfortable with having done this because of how it can be perceived. Let me assure you that no withdrawals will be made without Sid's direct involvement and I will make every effort to post invoices and/or emails from Sid when funds are removed from the account.  Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns.