Guyana
Folk Festival Secretariat
1368 E. 89 STREET SUITE 2, BROOKLYN
NEW YORK 11236, U.S.A.
TEL: 718.209.5207 FAX: 718.209.6157
WEBSITE: www.guyfolkfest.org
Contact
Person: Claire Goring
OUR THANKS
Over the past two weeks, there have been significant
developments in our effort to coordinate relief for the people of
Guyana. Individuals and organizations continue to mail in checks and
deliver food items and clothing to our main drop-off point at Caribbean
Vision Center, Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. Our thanks to all those
who made contributions to the relief effort, especially to Denise
Durant for coordinating medical supplies.
THE CARIB IMPACT SUPPLEMENT MEDICAL TEAM WELCOMED IN GUYANA WITH
OPEN ARMS
The Carib Impact Newspaper, in their March 1 issue
carried an exciting 4-page supplemnt of the medical outreach mission
sponsored by the Guyana Flood Relief - The Guyana Cultural Association-Folk
Festival, Support Guyana's Underprivileged Inc-SGU and The Organization
for Social and Health Advancement in Guyana-OSHAG with discounted
airfare supplied by Universal Airlines. This pictorial diary shows
the activities of the medical team over the 7-day visit to Guyana
and to the areas affected by the floods. The Team, led by Carol Bagot
along with Dennis Nelson and over 35 doctors and nurses, attended
to over 1700 patients. The areas
where the clinics were held: Enmore bachelors Adventure, DeHoop Mahaica,
Unity, Foulis Enmore, Paradise, Bear Root, Nabaclis, Anns Grove, Plaisance,
Ogle and Sophia. Our thanks to Mrs Harpaul and Universal Airlines
for making this possible, to the doctors and nurses and to the Support
Guyana's Underprivileged volunteers who assisted in the field. In
these Carib Impact photographs members of the medical team are seen
attending to patients at Bare Root and DeHoop.
(Contact Dennis Nelson or Godfrey Wray
at 718 262 8393 or 718 434 0200 for your copy of Impact)
KIDS CONTRIBUTE IN DANCE FOR THE RELIEF
From 3 years to fiftenn years, they all danced for
the relief on Sunday February 27 at the New Life Center of Truth in
Brooklyn. Coordinated by choreographers Rose October-Edun and Verna
Walcott, and assisted by Wayne daniels, Michelle Singh, Beverley hunte-James
and others, it was a magical evening featuring dance groups from around
the Tri-State area, in a variety of dance idioms: modern jazz, Liturgical,
Kathak, Ballet, Ballroom, Salsa, Caribbean and African. The capacity
crowd saw
presentations by New Revelation Dance Group, Impressions Dance Theatre,
The Marilyn Bose Dance Theatre, Full of Energy School of Dance, Wayne
Daniels, Sandra Primus, David Brown, Verna-Walcott-White, Christine
Williams, Rose October-Edun and many others. At the end of the evening,
the event raised over $1200 and collected food and other items for
kids to fill 12 barrels. Special thanks to Rev. Evelyn John and the
New Life center of Truth for the use of their Community Hall, and
to all the kids and their parents for their contributions, to Balloon
and Things, Cornel Young, and Oswald Bobb and Linden Drakes for providing
the photographs below.
WE ALL JOINED
IN PRAYER FOR GUYANA
In the imposing and beauty sanctuary of Union United Methodist Church
in Brooklyn, New York representative spiritual leaders from the United
Methodist, Episcopal, Unity, Lutheran, Hindu, Baptist, Muslim and
Spiritual Churches led the over 500 Guyanese and friends who gathered
to pray for Guyana. Starting with the call to worship featuring the
poem "Don't Slumber Too Deep" written by Selwyn Collins
and performed by Ron Bobb-Semple to the saxaphone accompaniment of
Erwin
Edwards (the King Soflantis), the evening of praise and prayers continued
with "the children of Guyana's soil" kneeling together "with
humble hearts and heads bowed down" to ask for bleassings for
the land that gave us birth, as they sang the "Hymn for Guyana's
Children." Together with a number of stirring musical and dance
presentation and tributes, one of the highlights of the evening's
service was a moving session of prayers of intercession conducted
by six of the spiritual leaders who said prayers for Guyana, our Leaders,
for those affected by the floods, those who perished and for Unity
in Guyana. A Candle was lit after each prayer and at the
end of the session of prayers, each member of the congregation lit
their candle and raised it in salute during soloist Yvette Trotman's
wonderful rendition of Valerie Rodway's "Oh Beautiful Guyana."
Soloists Trenton Mack, Lenessa Alexander and Yvette Trotman, acompanied
by Avis Joseph on the Pipe Organ, Hugh Sam on the
Piano and Erwin Edwards on the Saxophone led the congregation in the
singing of the national song "My Guyana Eldorado" to conclude
the program.
Also a wonderful part of the evening's performance were renditions
by Trenton Mck - "You'll Never Walk Alone", songs by the
Community Church of Christ Choir, the Chronicle Atlantic Symphoney
Orchestra, the Company of 4 Dance Ensemble, Lenessa Alexander, Hugh
Sam on the Piano and accompanist Avis Joseph on the Pipe Organs. Guyanese
elected oficials, Senator John Sampson and Maureen Walker, Comptroller
of the City of Mount Vernon read the lessons.
Ambassador Bayney Karran brough those present up-to-date with the
situation presently in Guyana and presentations were made by New York
elected officials, NY City Council member Yvette Clarke, NY City Council
member David Yassky, Tri-State Alliance President Pat Jordon-Langford
and . Also present at the service were:
Consul General Brentnold Evans, Sam Tait, CGID President Wrickford
Burke, members of the Bishops' High School Alumni Association, New
York Chapter.
The Guest Speaker was the Rev. Dr. Michael Dash of the Interdenominational
Theological Center, Atlanta Georgia and other spiritual leaders present:
host Pastor, Rev. Wesley Daniles, Rev. Dr. Evelyn John, Pandit Ramlall,
Rev. Rodwell Thom, Imam Haji Zakir, Lay Reader Lorraine Phillippe,
Rev. Dr. Henry Chan, Rev. George Frederick, Bishop Cecil Murcurius,
and Bishop Lester Williams. Worship Leaders were Malcolm Hall and
Kishore Megnauth Seunaraine. Claire Patterson-Monah thanked those
present on behalf of the organizers. Our thanks to Pastor Wesley Daniles
and the Board of Union United Methodist Church for their hospitality
and for the use of their wonderful sanctuary for the service, and
especially to Godfrey Williams whose assistance ensured a well organized
service. Our thanks also to the Sexton for his assistance.
A reception was held after the service where those present enjoyed
tasty Guyanese treats provided and saw footage, of the activities
undertaken by the Flood Relief Committee which gave an indication
of how their contributions were being distributed and funds used.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered as ushers, provided technical
video assistance, assisted with setting up the snacks, sang, danced
or provided spiritual leadership at the service, and also to the members
of the congregation..
PLEASE ACCEPT OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
PEOPLE OF GUYANA. THE APPRECIATION OF THE GUYANA DIASPORA FOR YOUR
GIFTS DURING THIS PERIOD OF NATURAL DISASTER IS APPRECIATED. DO CONTINUE
TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE:
http://www.guyanafloodrelief.com
FOR CONSTANT UPDATES AND TO SEE HOW YOUR GENEROSITY IS HELPING TO
ALLEVIATE THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF THE FLOODS IN GUYNA .
PLEASE CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE RELIEF
EFFORT.
COMING
EVENTS CONCERTS FOR GUYANA:
The CONCERTS FOR GUYANA series. Through these concerts,
Guyanese performers and other artists around the world will unite
in song
and music to show their concern for those affected, their way of giving
back to their community. Mr Ray and Mrs Angela Seales are providing
a leadership role in organizing for one event in the concert series
to be
held in Tampa, Florida, on 1 May 2005.
The first of the CONCERTS FOR GUYANA, sponsored by the British High
Commission, occurred on February 20, 2005--linking London by satellite
with Guyana. Concerts from Toronto, Washington, D.C., Barbados, New
York and possibly Atlanta will be presented in March, April, May and
June
2005.
FOR INFORMATION
718 209 5207 718 262
8393 718 469
8131
THE EFFORT CONTINUES
