VincyCares hosts dinner, awards ceremony

Five persons and one organization, who have made significant contributions to St Vincent and the Grenadines, were honoured last Saturday at a dinner and awards ceremony put on by VincyCares.{{more}}

The ceremony, the fourth held by the organisation, was held at the Friends of Crown Heights, located at 671 Prospect Place in Brooklyn, New York.

Those acknowledged were Zulema George, Jerrol Huggins-Jackson, Tizana Goodluck-Hedge, Alston “Becket” Cyrus, Nelcia Robinson and the United Vincie Cultural Group of Brooklyn.

George, who was born in St Vincent and the Grenadines to Frankie and Edna George, formerly of New Montrose, is a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School, Howard University, Washington DC, and Long Island University. She majored in Biology, Community Health/Health Administration and minored in Chemistry, but has a passion for fashion and participated in fashion shows and hair shows during her college career. In accepting the VincyCares Vision award, George, who is the proprietor of AK Couture Boutique and Beauty Bar in East Flatbush, expressed surprise, but thanked the organizers, as well as all her friends and other persons who continue to support her.

Meanwhile, internationally acclaimed playwright Huggins-Jackson, also received the organization’s Vision award. Huggins- Jackson is the founder and managing director of Jems Theater organization. His latest play, “Truth Be Told,” has been featured throughout the Caribbean, USA and Canada. The staging of “Truth be Told” off Broadway, earlier this year, made Huggins-Jackson the first Vincentian/Caribbean playwright to have his work featured in the theatre district. Huggins-Jackson, who works in the aviation industry, was unable to attend, so his award was accepted by Junior “Soca” Jones.

Another of the awardees, Goodluck-Hedge, is a young Vincentian based in New York, and is the owner of a fitness studio for group fitness classes and personal training. A certified ISSA personal trainer and massage therapist, Goodluck-Hedge is a graduate of the Brooklyn College, with a major in Exercise Science-Adaptive Physical Education and minored in Nutrition Science. The owner of Tizana’s Body Renewal was on the Dean’s list for three semesters. A gracious Goodluck- Hedge thanked VincyCares for the award, as well as all her supporters along the way.

Alston Becket Cyrus, the ABC of Calypso, as he is affectionately called, started his professional music career in 1975, and quickly rose to international acclaim. He became the first Caribbean artiste to perform at the US Open and was also listed as one of 17 outstanding Caribbean personalities of the 20th century.

Becket has some 26 albums and numerous award winning singles, one movie soundtrack, with five compositions featured in four American TV programmes, the sitcom Full House and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Over his 38-year career, the eight-time Road March title holder has worked with another renowned Vincentian, Frankie “The Maestro” Mc Intosh, a union of some 34 years. The veteran artiste has performed throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Spain, England, Canada and Colombia.

Nelcia Robinson, the other individual recognised, received the life-time award from VincyCares. Robinson, a women’s rights and youth activist, is based in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and holds a BSc Degree in Human Services from Springfield College, USA. She has dedicated over 40 years of her life to leadership, social mobilization, activism and advocacy in SVG and throughout the Caribbean. She has received various awards, among them the Kellogg Fellowship in International Development, the Humanitarian award for women of Great Esteem, the Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development Regional Award for women, the NEMO award for women in Disaster Management and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Added to her long list of accomplishments, Robinson is also a writer and poet, with a publication of short stories and poetry.

And, the United Vincie Cultural Group of Brooklyn was recognized for its work within the community. The group, which was formed in 2003, was born out of the need for more community health care in SVG and has been known for hosting cultural concerts and tea parties.

Now 35 members strong, the group has conducted a number of mission trips to St Vincent and the Grenadines since 2010, with the next trip scheduled for 2014.

While VincyCares’ main focus is to cater to the needs of less fortunate schoolchildren in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the group has expanded its outreach to other areas.

Over the years, VincyCares has established a number of scholarships, with their most recent being a five-year scholarship to Rickeisha Glasgow, a former student of the Calliaqua Anglican School, who is currently attending Girls’ High School.

The welcome remarks at the ceremony were done by president of VincyCares Franklyn “Superdex” Richards. He also delivered a brief message. Community organizer and cultural icon Verna Arthur was the keynote speaker. She implored Vincentians to pledge their support to VincyCares.