Ex-Teachers Association of NY helping families of Rock Gutter tragedy

The Ex-Teachers of St Vincent and the Grendines Association of New York, during the hosting of its 32nd anniversary luncheon at the Grand Prospect Hall, 263 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, made a special collection to assist the families of the Rock Gutter minibus {{more}}tragedy, which took place Monday, January 12, at Fancy.

The collection, on January 18, realised $1,492, which was handed over to Reverend Glyger Beach.

Added to that sum was a prior collection of close to $4,000, that was received on January 16 at a prayer vigil that was held at the St Mark’s Methodist Church in Brooklyn.

Also at last Sunday’s luncheon, Dr Renrick Benn, a dentist by profession, was the Association’s 2014 honouree.

Benn, who hails from Mesopotamia in the Marriaqua Valley, has been a practising dentist in the USA for the last 28 years.

The Ex-Teachers Association stressed that the recognition of Dr Benn was not just for his professional accomplishment, but “for his unwavering support to the Vincentian diaspora, the community and his professionalism.”

The plaque presented to Benn read: “In recognition of your commitment to excellence and your exemplary professionalism in the diaspora.”

Benn attended the Marriaqua Primary School; he later went to the Emmanual High School Mespo, where he spent one year, before being transferred to the St Vincent Grammar School.

Upon the death of his grandmother, he migrated to the USA to live with his mother.

A former student of the Eastern District High School in Brooklyn and Hunter College, Benn graduated with a BSc in Health Sciences in 1974. He later attended the State University NY at Buffalo School of Dentistry.

After training as a resident in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Harlem Hospital, Dr Benn went into private practice in Brooklyn. Added to that, he was also an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Bedford Stuyvesant Family Medical Centre, with Hanson Place Dental Association.

Currently, he can also be found three days a week at his office at 185 Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.

Following the honouring of Dr Benn, Joyce Miller received special recognition from a member of the association.

The annual elegant affair also provided patrons the opportunity to dance the afternoon away to the music of the Lambert and the Matadors Orchestra. A cocktail hour, as well as a luncheon were also on the afternoon menu.