In a continuation of its mission to help Abaco, Bahamas recover from Hurricane Dorian, Eagles Wings, with the invaluable assistance of the Community Foundation of the Palm Beaches and the Ilsababy Foundation, completed two more major projects.  On July 8, 2021, the Chief Island Administrator for Abaco organized and hosted a dedication ceremony for a brand new fire station and a dual-purpose, Command Center (located at the S.C. Bootle High School).  More than 50 government officials and local dignitaries attended the event.  The event was a great success! The Minister of State over the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, Management, and Reconstruction, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for the North District of Abaco, plus the Chief Island Administrator spoke at the formal gathering and praised Eagles Wings, aka Pathfinders Task Force, in addition to the Community Foundation and Ilsababy Foundation, for the substantial donations.  Until these two projects were completed, the North Abaco never had either type of facility to help with emergency and disaster responses.  The Command Center also is the first of its kind in the Family Islands, and it serves now as a model for other locations, given that its primary purpose is as a year round classroom at a public school, quickly able to transform into a Command Center whenever one is needed.   Speakers at the formal dedication also lauded praises on to Pathfinders Task Force, listing a long history of disaster responses dating back to 1999 in the team’s many deployments into the Bahamas to assist NEMA with short term emergency response assistance, starting back with Cat 5 Hurricane Floyd. Each speaker also brought up anecdotal memories of how Scott Lewis, the founder of Eagles Wings, had given so much of his own personal time and effort to help so many over so many decades of service. The Director of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) also had flown in for the special occasion, and he shared his memories as well.

This wonderful effort follows two years of donations from Eagles Wings with all of its many partners focused on helping rebuilding schools, supporting clinics, volunteer fire stations, re-building public docks, delivering eight, large industrial generators, 1,400 rolls of peel and stick roofing, dozens of pallets of drywall and roof shingles, school supplies for all 18 public schools on Grand Bahamas, and 22 shipping containers loaded with over $1 million in donated goods. With such a terrific reception, Eagles Wings committed to completing several technology improvements in its continuing effort to focus on the long-term recovery of the Abacos and Grand Bahamas.  Eagles Wings also will work towards completing a Tech School building which still stands as an abandoned shell at the high school’s main entrance.  Pathfinders Task Force also will, of course, be there again when called!