SVG Dove Club elects new executive

A new executive has been elected to head the SVG Dove Club.

The Dove Club is a group that is present in several Caribbean countries, whose main objective is to provide support for the World Paediatric Project (WPP).

While the group has been in existence since 2009 in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the new executive is hoping to breathe some new life into its operation.{{more}}

“We are in the process of doing a membership drive. At present we have about 16 persons. We’re looking mostly at the parents and guardians who benefit from the programme before and even at present,” president Michelle Gould told SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday.

Gould also indicated that persons who are interested in providing service to persons in need are welcome to join the group as well.

According to the recently elected president, the objectives of the group include assisting in the pre-travel briefing for families who are scheduled to travel to the United States of America; hosting annual fund-raising events to aid persons in need; providing support for regional families when they visit for WPP missions; and to provide awareness of the WPP to families who have children with medical problems.

“When we have missions here, sometimes we have to do referrals and so on, so we make people more knowledgeable of what they should do so they have a better understanding. Also, we want to host fund-raising activities. The reason for that is that we have families who are not as fortunate as others and they are in need of help and since we are a non-profit organization, we try to host fund-raising activities so that we can assist these persons,” Gould explained.

“We want to encourage and guide families with problems to come and learn more about the programme so they can get assistance when needed. One of the things that I would want to look at also is to sensitize people more about the programme. Go into schools and communities and let them know what the programme is about”.

Although she has not benefitted directly from the WPP, Gould expressed her love for providing service to persons and encouraged other persons to become a part of the organization for this reason as well.

“There are persons who may need help, but they don’t have the means. We are a non-profit organization, they don’t have the means and whatever means we can assist with, we are willing to do that. Some might not benefit directly, but indirectly you might benefit because you might know someone who is in need of help and you can in turn let that person know about the group.

“I am not a beneficiary, in the sense that I have never had anybody on the programme and because I like to serve, I’m interested in providing service. I like to help people. Once you are interested to serve, once you are interested in seeing persons in good health standing, you can be a part of the group,” she said.

In April, Dominica re-launched their Dove Club and during the event, Eastern Caribbean representative for the WPP Jacqueline Browne-King received an award for her humanitarian work and she was also presented with another award for the organization.

In St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dove Club meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month, at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

Gould has extended an invitation to anyone who wishes to join the organization and “Spread the love, wear the dove, share our story.” (BK)