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Another hurricane season is here, but some folks are still cleaning up after Irma came calling in 2017 — and raising money for the cause.
September 6, 2017, is a date that still stings for residents of Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. Hurricane Irma devastated the 3-square-mile island with sustained winds of 185 mph. Vegetation and trees were swept away or uprooted, and homes were severely damaged or destroyed. After the storm passed, the once tranquil Caribbean island looked more like a war zone than a tropical nirvana.
Among the carnage was Foxy's Bar, one of the island's most famous landmarks and a popular stop for visiting yachts. Remarkably, the tattered watering hole reopened the next day, albeit with a makeshift roof of blue tarps. Foxy's is a special place for the cruising crowd, namely for its beloved proprietor and host, Foxy Callwood, who has owned and operated it more than 50 years. It is known as the place where the party never stops, and Foxy can often be heard entertaining boaters singing and banging out Calypso tunes on his guitar.
But with the island in crisis mode, and Foxy being its biggest celebrity, the bar took on a more solemn mission. It had one of the very few generators on the island, and in the days following the storm, Foxy's opened its doors to provide free meals and relief to those affected by the hurricane.
Now one year later, as things are slowly starting to return to normal, help is still needed and Foxy is stepping in to help once more. Callwood has performed a series of benefit concerts in St. Michaels, Maryland, and is also expected to perform at the sail and powerboat shows in Annapolis in early October, with all proceeds going to help those still suffering back home in the BVIs.
More than just an entertainer, Callwood has also promoted sailing in the BVIs, sponsoring a round-the-island race, encouraging junior sailors with a sailing program, and even letting a team of boatbuilders sequester a portion of his yard to build a 32-foot yacht used for sail training.
He was honored by the Queen of England in 2009 when he was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his conservation efforts and contribution to the BVIs, and in particular Jost Van Dyke.
For up to date information, check out Foxy's Facebook page at or visit foxysbar.com.