The Social Security Board has made seven donations from its Development Fund whereby not just the recipients groups involved are benefiting, but the wider public they serve as well.
The donations, amounting to almost EC$70,000, were presented to representatives of the community organisations by various Board members at a press briefing on Tuesday, February 14. The contributions were given as part of the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Social Security.
The presentations were presided over by Deputy Chairman of the Social Security Board, Alkins Rogers. The first presentation of $4,000 went to the East End Community Development Club. The donation, presented by Ash Hodge, Pubic Relations Officer, was accepted by Jerome Roberts.
Mr. Roberts said the money would be used to finance a Fun Day Health Fair to be held on March 2 in observance of the birthday of Revolutionary Leader, Ronald Webster. The event will be held, on the grounds of theOldEast EndSchool, in conjunction with students at the Saint James School of Medicine.
The next five contributions, of $10,000 each, were made as follows: the Female Football Club, represented by coach, Colin Johnson, and presented by Board member Roosevelt Harris; the Anguilla Masters Cricket Association represented by Renford Kelsick and presented by Director of Social Security, Timothy Hodge. Kelsick said the money would be used in May this year when the Masters inAnguillawould be hosting the Leeward Islands Masters Competition; the Anguilla Basketball Association represented by the President, Jason Hodge, and presented by Social Security Board member, Victor Brooks. Replying, Hodge said the money would be used to prepare for the upcoming Basketball Tournament; the Anguilla Boat Racing Committee represented by Paul Romney and presented by Secretary to the Social Security Board, Maglan Richardson. The sponsored activity will be a boat race from Sandy Ground toIslandHarbouron March 2 in observance of Mr. Webster’s birthday. Romney said the race would involve B class boats.In addition, there will be an island-wide motorcade which will travel to Mr. Webster’s residence at Sea Feathers before ending at the Fun Day and Health Fair atEast End. The next presentation was made to the Anguilla Cycling Association which was not represented.
The largest contribution, US$5,000, was made to the Anguilla Community Foundation for its Cares Campaign. The cheque, presented by Maglan Richardson for the development ofAnguillaand the children in particular, was received by Pamela Riley.
Ms. Riley said an initial donation from Social Security in 1999 had enabled the Foundation to begin its first endowment fund. She disclosed that the fund now had over US$250,000 and, since its establishment, the Community Foundation had make grants and donations amounting to over US$500,000 to the Anguillian community.