By GENEA NOEL

Freeport News Reporter

A grand telethon has been planned by some churches in Grand Bahama to send financial relief to residents in the Turks and Caicos Islands who suffered the destructive wrath of Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Hanna.

Dubbing the event as "Operation Touch," Simeon Outten, chairperson and coordinator, said the telethon will be a grand concert, nationally televised for people to give to those in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In the wake of the two storms, the island was completely devastated and 95 percent of the buildings there sustained severe structural damages.

Outten said he is reaching out to the Christian community to help in his efforts to assist residents in rebuilding their lives.

After meeting with church pastors who have family ties in the Turks and Caicos, Outten said that it was important for them to team together and lend financial support.

"Having survived two hurricanes in years past, we can sympathize with the residents there because most of them have lost their homes and livelihood," Outten said.

He added that in Freeport alone there are hundreds of residents who are descendants of the Turks and Caicos Islands and have strong ties with people there.

Although the island of Inagua suffered considerable damages as well, Outten said that his vision leads him to help those in the Turks and Caicos and he does not like to act outside of what he was spiritually led to do.

He is hoping that other organizations, including the Inagua Association, will take a similar interest to send re-lief to their family members.

"We hope that we would be setting an example for other organizations to do the same for the Haitians, Jamaicans, Bahamians in Inagua and all the other islands that were damaged," Outten said.

He added that this event will also serve to return the favour to those in the Turks and Caicos islands who gave to the Grand Bahama Christian Council (GBCC) when the Bahamas was hit by storms in 2004 and 2005.

"When we were in the similar situation, a committee from Turks presented a cheque to the Christian Cou-ncil and that was helpful as we tried to get our lives back together," said Outten.

The gospel telethon is scheduled for September 21 at the Hilton Outten Centre, off Settler's Way and will feature Simeon Outten and the Freedom Band, Cooling Waters, Members from the Church of God of Prophecy and different marching bands from around the island.

With the full support of the GBCC, Outten said that they are not begging but simply letting people know what they are doing to help those in need.

There will be a $5 entrance fee for those wishing to attend the concert and Outten hopes that all residents who have relations to the Turks and Caicos Islands will join in.