Cafe Karibo steps up for storm workers

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm

Reporter - News Analyst

October 14, 2016 3:17 p.m.

Cafe Karibo's very special guests

When Saturday morning dawned with its clear skies and calm seas in the wake of Hurricane Matthew’s visit the night before, post storm recovery crews returned to the island early to assess the damage and prepare for the safe return of evacuees and businesses. Utility workers, Police and Fire, and city maintenance workers all got to work quickly and efficiently to clear downed trees that blocked major arteries, keep looters away from residences and businesses, alleviate localized flooding and make sure that unsafe areas were securely blocked off from public access.

But there was one problem: because of the loss of power to the downtown area, there was no place that all these workers could grab a meal. City Commissioner Tim Poynter, who with his family had evacuated during the storm, was on his way back when he received a call from Fernandina Beach Fire Chief Ty Silcox, explaining the situation. Poynter, who with his wife Theresa owns and operates Cafe Karibo in downtown Fernandina Beach, did not know whether his restaurant had escaped the flooding at the foot of Centre Street. When he was assured that it had, he and Theresa and son Tim with girlfriend Heather Van Puymbrouck, “muscled” their way back onto the island in order to open up the restaurant for the recovery crews.

Upon arriving at Cafe Karibo, Tim and Theresa found that they had no power, but that their walk-in cooler had remained cold due to the loads of ice that they had placed inside just before the storm hit. They fired up their gas grill, and Theresa cooked while Tim served police, firefighters, and city workers. Luckily Theresa had a battery powered light that she could strap on her forehead to be able to cook up chili and panini in the dark kitchen.

As the last of the 50 now fed workers left Cafe Karibo, the electricity returned for the exhausted Poynter family, allowing them to return home to assess their personal residence.

The Poynter family acted out of a sense of community. They neither asked for nor expected compensation from the individual workers or the city. “It was the right thing to do,” Tim said, “after all these guys have done for us.”

Cafe Karibo was back in business for Sunday brunch the next day. Thank you, Poynters!

Tim and Theresa Poynter

Editor's Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne's many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.