Northern Region PanTrinbago teams up with Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force bringing holiday cheer to Band Members.
While the COVID-19 global pandemic has had a devastating effect on the economy, businesses, education and cultural festivities like carnival and panorama, it has brought people together and demonstrated the importance of strength in unity and the resilience of humanity.
In its continuing response to providing assistance to its band members, the Northern Region Pan Trinbago teamed up with the Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force in what turned out to be the largest and most successful food drive and food distribution in the Region’s history. This new alliance saw the Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force responding to a request for assistance by Pan Trinbago’s Northern Region Chairman Desiree Myers.
According to the Chairman, Ms. Myers, “shining a light in a time of darkness and desperation has been at the centre of the charitable initiatives of the Northern Region.” With the synergetic collaboration and tremendous input from the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Commodore Daryl Daniel, and Chief Staff Officer Colonel Dexter Francis, they agreed that providing hope and humanitarian aid, especially during the holiday season, would lift up so many people out of their current challenges.
Without hesitation and making a commitment to assist, they assured Chairman Myers that they would reach out to all branches of the Defence Force in order to garner total support for the effort.
The tremendous assistance from the various branches of the Defence Force saw hundreds of food items being donated, enabling the Northern Region to give over one hundred (100) hampers to members and pioneers of the Steel Pan Fraternity.
In addition to the Defence Force, the Northern Region also received hampers donated by Massy Stores and other donors locally and abroad, ensuring that every band in all categories would receive at least one hamper
Announcing this Food Drive as an inaugural event that would be conducted by the Northern Region annually, Chairman Myers stated that Covid-19 has awakened us to focus more on our people, acknowledging that in everything we do, we must put our people first. This distribution of food hampers is the Region’s third this year, with hampers previously donated to steelband families by the Region’s Executive Members and Large Sponsored bands from the Northern Region.
Officers of the Northern Region ensured that all Covid 19 protocols were observed by band members during the distribution of hampers.
In addition to its hamper distribution, the Northern Region recently donated 6 tablet devices to school students that are young panist from steel bands within the region, so as to assist members in their remote learning. Chairman Myers stated “We at the Northern Region recognize and understand that there are many band members who are experiencing severe hardship at this time and wanted to do something to help”, she added that “the barriers placed on these innocent, young kids through no fault of their own, must be broken down. If not, these kids and their futures would be in a grave predicament of being left behind and forced into a state of educational injustice. We can’t and won’t let that happen”.
With the assistance from members of the Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force, Officers of Pan Trinbago Northern Region began distributing hampers to band members at the Region’s office on Friday December 18, 2020. Present from the Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force included Lt. Jean Paul Bartholomew, Lt. Sherron Manswell, Sgt Dion Joseph and Cpl. Dale Denalli (T&T Defence Force Steel Orchestra), Sgt. Perez, Privates Ramsoondar, Niles and Robinson (Defence Force Head Quarters PTI Department) and CPL. Adana Humes (Media).
Assisting in the presentation of hampers was Lieutenant Sherron Manswell, Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force, who presented to Anthony Kinsale from Laventille Serenaders Steel Orchestra.
Officers from the Northern Region Pan Trinbago included Chairman Desiree Myers, Vice Chairman Earl Morris, Secretary Robert Hernandez, Treasurer Kenneth Kerr, and trustees Martin Cain and John Douglas, as well as the Region’s Liaison Officer Ricardo Mapp and Office Assistant Sally Holder.
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