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Videos from St. Lucia Fundraiser

Photos from St. Lucia Fundraising Event

Ashton Craig (T&T) with Ambassador St. Aimee

Sasha Werblin (US) and Leroy Boldon (T&T)

Bill Richardson (St. Vincent) and friend

Liz Eugene and Antonie Andrew (St. Lucia )

Ferguson Glasgow (St. Lucia)

Ambassador Donatus Keith St. Aimee, Irie Dawta, Harry Best

Sharon Baird (T&T), Jovan Andrew Odlum (St. Lucia)

Paulette Gairey (T&T), Bill Richardson (St. Vincent), Sharon Baird (T&T)
Kojo Mason (St. Vincent)

Antonia Andrew (St. Lucia), Paulette Gairey (T&T), Sharon Baird (T&T)

Koudmen: Bernard George (Dominica)

Koudmen: Harry Best of Shabang (St. Lucia)

Koudmen: Tony D of 'Junglz Apart' from (Trinidad and Tobago)

Benefit Concert raises $1,000 for St. Lucia

One hundred and fifty friends of St. Lucia showed up on a Sunday night to show their support at a benefit concert hosted by Ashkenaz Dance and Community Center in Berkeley. The event raised $1,000.00USD for the recovery efforts underway from the devastation caused by Hurricane Tomas last October.

The honored guest at the event was St. Lucia's ambassador to the UN, H. E. Dr. Donatus Keith St. Aimee. The ambassador gave a brief account of the current status of the reconstruction underway on the island and of areas where there is still great need by those affected by Tomas.
The evening opened with a stellar performance by the award-winning CSM Panhandlers Steel Orchestra led by Jim Munzenrider. the Panhandlers have been the premier steelpan program in the Bay Area for over 20 years.

A special slide show of the hurricane damage was provided by Caroline Trist and Charlotte Orishiao.

The show ended with dancing to Zouk and Soca music operformed by Koudmen,a group of Caribbean musicians in the Bay Area who came together especially for this event. Members included Dominican Kreyol Poet RasMo Moses; Bernard George (Dominica); Harry Best (St. Lucia); Ashton Craig (Trinidad and Tobago), Clayton Hazel (Dominica); Dilly George (Dominica);Danny Bittker (USA); Cliff Manswell (Trinidad and Tobago)and Tony D Durham (Trinidad and Tobago).

A great time was had by all present.

Proceeds from the event will go to the St Lucia Red Cross, a non-governmental, non-profit making organisation. The SLRC is a voluntary auxilliary to the government in its humanitarian services. It is responsible for development, programmes and outreach services in St Lucia.
The Red Cross in St. Lucia was founded in 1949 as a branch of British Red Cross. It ecame a national society in 1979 after St Lucia gained independence. Was formally recognised in 1983 by the Government of St Lucia, through the St Lucia Red Cross Act of 1983.

St. Lucia Ambassador St. Aimee is Honored Guest at Fundraiser

St. Lucia’s Ambassador to the UN Dr. Donatus Keith St. Aimee will be the honored guest at the benefit concert for St. Lucia scheduled for January 16. Dr. St. Aimee said he was very pleased to be attending as the representative of the Government of Saint Lucia and he was looking forward to meeting St. Lucians and supporters who are involved in the fundraising effort.

The event will be hosted at the Ashkenaz Dance and Community Center starting at 8pm. The concert will feature the music of ‘Koudmen’ and the ‘CSM Panhandlers Steel Orchestra’.

Koudmen is a group of veteran Bay Area musicians who come mainly from the Kweyol-speaking islands of the Caribbean. These musicians are featured performers with local Caribbean bands in the likes of Shabang, Pan Exstasy, Tropical Vibrations and the Harmonics.

Also featured that evening is the award-winning CSM Panhandlers Steel Orchestra led by Jim Munzenrider, the top steelpan program in the Bay Area for over 20 years.

How you can help rebuild St. Lucia

The St Lucia Red Cross continues to provide support for hurricane victims.
The St Lucia Red Cross is continuing to function in the emergency response mode. That is the organization will continue its work of providing immediate relief items to persons most in need as a result of Hurricane Tomas. These include hygiene kits, water, kitchen sets, blankets, clothing, tarpaulins, jerry-cans, buckets, food and water. Yesterday Tuesday 2nd November, the organization was able to airlift 10 tons of immediate relief items including food and water to the community of Fond St Jaques, Soufriere with the assistance of a French helicopter from Martinique. As the challenge of accessibility improves with the clearance of more road networks, the organization is reaching more persons with relief items.

St Lucia Red Cross Damage and Needs Assessment (DANA) Teams are continuing their assessments in various communities around the island. These assessments will ensure that the organization responds adequately to the situation of the most vulnerable in the communities.

Meanwhile the St Lucia Red Cross has made arrangements to accommodate persons willing to make donations to support the hurricane victims.

In St Lucia, financial donations can be made to:

First Caribbean International Bank Acc #264 5392
or Royal Bank of Canada Acc #100 842 4.

Persons outside of St Lucia wishing to make donations can remit funds through
Bank of America, New York, N Y, 10048-1191 Swift Code: BOFAUS3N
Chips member ID: 015035
ABA Number 026009593

Donations of non perishable food items can be made at the following locations:
Super J Gablewoods Mall, Rodney Bay, JQ, Mega J and GL Foods Baywalk.

Source: St. Lucia Star