Five local entities were on Tuesday, the recipients of a combined EC$155,000, a donation from the Ronald and Luise Casson Foundation. 

Receiving the money during a presentation at the conference room of the Professional Secretarial and Consultancy Services (PSCS), were: the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross Society, the Lions Club of St. Vincent South, the Rotary Club of St. Vincent, Special Olympics St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines-SVG. 

Camille Crichton, secretary of the Foundation, told those attending the handing over ceremony that the trustees recognise their social responsibility and also recognise that SVG is facing a critical period as it is going through a volcanic eruption, the COVID-19 pandemic, a severe dengue outbreak and most recently, heavy rains that caused flooding which damaged roads and homes.  

“We hope that the donation will help with the rebuilding process,” Crichton said.  

Also present at the handing over was trustee Fidel Neverson, who stressed that the Foundation was pleased to make the donations as they are aware that at the moment, the need in the country is great.  

“I have seen it for myself. It is an immense need and we are not sure how long it will go on, so we know organisations need support,” Neverson said while adding that he hopes the funds will help ease the burden. 

He added that it is uncomfortable in many quarters of the country, and also a strain on persons managing the crisis, and he knows that the various recipients will use the money to help ease the frustration and discomfort of persons who are going through a difficult time.  

In response, Una Sayers of the SVG Red Cross Society which received $16,500, said her organization prides itself on accountability and transparency, and as a result persons can rest assured that the money will go towards helping people. 

Cornelia Moses, President of the Lions Club of St. Vincent South also received $16,500 and said she was surprised when she got the call from Crichton.  

Moses thanked the Foundation for considering them and noted that the Lions Club exists to serve the underprivileged and needy, so the donation will go a long way in helping them with their relief efforts.  

“I hope your organization will continue to grow from strength to strength,” Moses said.  

Daniel Tambo Samuel-Campbell, secretary of the Rotary Club of St. Vincent and Chair of that organization’s volcano disaster response team, said the funds will be used as effectively and efficiently as possible. That entity received $EC$16,500.  

The Government of SVG, represented by Sandy Peter-Phillips, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, collected EC$50,000; while Special Olympics SVG Director Sezevra Joseph, received $55,548.00.

Peters-Phillips expressed gratitude, and noted that the money will help the recovery efforts, while Joseph said the money given to them is for the training and personal development of special needs athletes. 

Joseph added that sometimes, these athletes who are intellectually impaired, are sidelined so the organization exists to ensure they are mainstreamed and the money will go a long way in aiding their venture.   

The Ronald and Luise Casson Foundation was founded in 1997 by the late Ronald and Luise Casson. It has guidelines on how the money is to be donated.  

The original trustees were Alexander C Hughes, Robert Milton Cato, Hudson Tannis, Bishop Cuthbert Woodrooffe and Henry Williams, all deceased. Margaret Hughes Ferrari was the secretary then.  

The current trustees are Chairman Margaret Hughes-Ferrari, Alison Thomas, Sir Errol Allen, Jarrand Cummings, Fidel Neverson and secretary Camille Crichton.  

In the past, they have donated to the World Paediatric Project (WPP), the Thompson Home, the Salvation Army, the Mental Health Centre, the St Benedict Children,s Hospital and Day Nursery, and several others to the tune of over EC$1.5 million.