relief volunteers celebrating, with the Vincentian national fl ag, to Shaggy and Sean Paul’s ‘I will rise again’.
Photo by Nelson A. King
Caribbean Life, JULY 16-22, 2021 3
By Tangerine Clarke
Residents of East Flatbush Brooklyn
took full advantage of the beautiful
weather, last Saturday, July 10, to
reconnect in Amersford Park, thanks
to New York Council Member Farah N.
Louis, who partnered with Assembly
Member Helene E. Weinstein, in a Tie-
Dye party, the first of many planned
summer events.
Recently reelected to the 45th
Council District in the Democratic
primary, Louis was hands-on with the
youngsters, who joyfully created colorful
designs on tee shirts, baseball caps
and facemasks, using supplies donated
by the Brooklyn Arts Council.
After adding her creative touches to
a “Tee”, the elected official told Caribbean
Life that she is excited to reconnect
the community as the state enters
its recovery phase of the coronavirus
pandemic.
Louis wants to especially keep the
young people, entertained, and off
the street. As such, she will unveil
activities such as movie nights, sporting
events, and other fun events to
help build communication around the
community. She is also at work, to
halt gun violence in the district, and
prepare students to return to school
this September.
“It is an opportunity for us to come
together and reactivate our emotional
and mental health, and get fit,” she
said, with plans to launch a health and
well exercise class in the very park, for
the elderly.
“This is a coming together, one
nation under God, different religions
and cultures. We are one community,
just trying to make it out of this pandemic,
and to the next step,” said Louis
who after being elected in 2019 quickly
planned goals, to help connect the
community to her office, so concerns
and issues could be addressed.
By Nelson A. King
Verna Arthur, the chairperson of the
Brooklyn-based SVG Relief USA, Inc.,
the main relief organization that coordinates
relief for volcano-ravaged St.
Vincent and the Grenadines, says the
group has reached the “home stretch”
of Phase One with the relief drive.
“It was remarkably successful,”
Arthur told Caribbean Life on Sunday,
stating that the Friends of Crown
Heights Educational Center, which was
the hub of relief efforts in Brooklyn, is
“back to a state of equilibrium.
“Thanks to Vaughan Toney (the president
and chief executive officer) for
providing the space, and has indicated it
is available whenever needed,” she said.
Arthur disclosed that the “remarkable
success” of Phase One resulted
in the dispatch of nine commercial
bins with Personal Protection Equipment
(PPEs) to address the COVID-19
pandemic in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
“This was our first donation prior to
the effusive eruption of the La Soufriere
Volcano,” she said.
During Phase One, Arthur said
four 40-ft containers — with a variety
of items, including non-perishable
food, personal hygiene kits, medication,
infant supplies, female sanitary
products, water, cots, clothing, wheelchairs
and buckets — were also shipped
home.
She said another container of supplies
will be shipped soon.
In addition, the relief coordinator
said 29 power-washers, 28 hoses, 325
cots, 23 wheelchairs, nine wet vacuum
machines, nebulizers, and other
medical supplies for each clinic in St.
Vincent and the Grenadines — courtesy
the Red Cross USA and the United
Parcel Services (UPS) — were shipped
during Phase One. UPS air-lifted these
supplies, Arthur said.
She said donations, including monetary,
were received from hospitals,
faith-based organizations, small businesses,
community leaders, block associations,
schools and other individuals.
Arthur said the next phase, Phase
Two, was recently kicked off with a factfinding
mission in St. Vincent and the
Grenadines.
“SVG Relief USA, Inc. is committed
to transparency and accountability,”
she said, stating that the two persons
charged with the responsibility to carry
out such mission are public relations
officer Atiba Williams and member,
Garnes Byron.
“The purpose of this mission is to
assess the situation following the volcanic
eruptions,” added Arthur, disclosing
that the team is currently conducting
meetings and interviews, and is
visiting and assisting in the hard-hit
areas.
Additionally, she said the team is
compiling a “needs-list” from participating
organizations.
“Our organization is the trusted messenger
in New York for SVG relief efforts,
and we are happy to have established a
continued relationship with NEMO (the
local National Emergency Management
Organization), as well as forging new
relationships with SVG Red Cross Association,
Lions South, Rotary South and
the Salvation Army,” Arthur said.
“The decision to expand our reach
and partner with these organizations
was an excellent one,” she added. “By
doing so, we continue to help NEMO
tackle areas other than the shelters
and alleviate any extra burden due to
limited staff.
“It is heartwarming to receive
reports from the organizations (Red
Cross, Lions, Rotary and the Salvation)
expressing how pleased they are
to receive items, and of such quantity,”
Arthur continued. “These organizations
are doing herculean work, while sacrificing
their personal lives and families,
to ensure that our brothers and sisters
are receiving the much-needed assistance
during these challenging times.”
She expressed “tremendous thanks”
to volunteers, elected officials, hospitals,
faith-based organizations, small
businesses, non-profit organizations,
community leaders, block associations,
schools and other individuals, “who
have participated/contributed in one
way or the other to ensure that Phase
One of our relief drive come to fruition.”
Residents of NYC Council District
45, celebrate their colorful artwork
at a Tie Dye party hosted by
Council Member Farah N. Louis, in
partnership with Assembly Member
Helene E. Weinstein. Photo by
Tangerine Clarke
Vincy group reaches ‘home stretch’
in Phase I volcanic relief drive
Louis hosts
Tie-dye
party kids