Mission and Statement

Elbow Cay Restoration Association is a NON-PROFIT certified community-led initiative to ensure the community is at the heart of solutions for recovery and redevelopment. The by-laws have been designed to ensure maximum transparency and accountability to the community - as members and stakeholders in the Association and our recovery.

There are two categories of membership: 1) The first category, known as Local Members, include the following: (a)   Bahamians who were born on Elbow Cay or who live more than six months out of each year on Elbow Cay, and (b) Non-Bahamians with permanent residency who live more than six month out of each year on Elbow Cay. The second category is all other members, known as Non-Local Members, including second home-owners and those who do not reside here more than six months out of each year.  We have two categories to ensure that local members cannot be outvoted by non-local members given the larger numbers of second home-owners on the island.

How to become a member? All you have to do is to complete a membership form which will be on the website soon; in the meantime sign up for our email updates and important information. There are no membership fees. The more members of our community join, the more representative and the more lobbying power the Association will have.

Each year there will be a community meeting, at which the community can elect members of the Steering Board. Its role is to oversee the work of the Association and to engage with the community to create strategies and master plans for community work and needs. The Steering Board is accountable to the members - and has to report regularly on the Association’s work and finances. There are provisions in the by-laws to ensure the Steering Board is representative and reflects all groups within our community.

There will also be a small executive team who will be responsible for implementing projects and running the day to day activities of the Association. They are to be appointed by the Board and will be accountable as employees of the Association. More information will follow.

HURRICANE DORIAN

On September 1, 2019, Hurricane Dorian, the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Bahamas, made landfall on Elbow Cay with 200+ mph winds and storm surges that destroyed or significantly damaged over 70% of the homes on the island. Dorian completely leveled the school and medical clinic along with hundreds of homes and dozens of local businesses. Hundreds of multi-generational Bahamian residents were displaced, their lives turned upside down. All of the island’s infrastructure was destroyed.

Hurricane Dorian tore through the Abacos as a Category 5 hurricane, ushering in a 20 foot storm surge and packing winds in excess of 200 mph, making it the worst natural disaster the country has ever seen.   Residents of Elbow Cay were subjected to nearly thirty hours of torment and terror as the catastrophic storm "stalled" overhead, during which time an estimated 70 tornadoes made landfall on the tiny six-mile island, causing heartbreaking devastation and immeasurable loss.  But despite the monumental wreckage caused by the storm, in the days that followed, the island's most precious and valuable natural resource was actually made even stronger, and that's our community.  

​We are in the midst of a major recovery and make no mistake- we are coming back stronger and better than before!    Elbow Cay our incredible little island will remain as it always has:  a coastal community rooted in heritage, the strength of it's people and the natural beauty in which it is surrounded.  We encourage you to learn more about our island's rich and colorful history here.

Contact Members of our Team

Monica Cook - Executive - monica@elbowcaycommunity.com

Reinhold Probst - Chairperson of the Steering Board reinhold@elbowcaycommunity.com

ECRA is a Bahamian registered Non-Profit Organisation.

Memorandum of Association

Articles of Association

Non-Profit Registration in Bahamas