President’s Charities Foundation Erika Relief Fund receives assistance

The President’s Charities Foundation Erika Relief Fund is closer to realizing its goal in raising US$100, 00.00 to assist the children of two of the worst affected west coast villages – Colihaut and Coulibistrie, and providing much-needed assistance to the Grotto Home and Operation Youth Quake.

The Fund received US$10,000 in contributions from the St Georges Dominica Lodge and over $20,000 from a fundraising drive headed by the Chairman of the Republic Bank of Trinidad.

At a presentation ceremony on Wednesday December 23, 2015 at the State House General Manger of the AID Bank, Mr. Julius Corbett presented a cheque of over US$20, 00.00 to His Excellency Charles Savarin on behalf of the Chairman of the Republic Bank of Trinidad, Mr. Ron Hartford, who spearheaded a fundraising effort in Trinidad.

Mr. Corbett told the ceremony that he used his contacts in the region to raise the funds for this worthy cause and one such person, Mr. Hartford of the Republic Bank rallied his friends to make contributions to the Presidents Charities Foundation Erika Relief Fund.

Mr. Corbett, who is a member of the President Charities Foundation Erika Relief Fund Subcommittee, said he was very excited to make the presentation of US $20,679.00 on behalf Mr. Hartford and his friends to The President.

The other presentation came from the St George’s Lodge of Dominica represented by Mr. Francis Emmanuel.

Mr. Emmanuel presented a cheque of US $10,000.00 to His Excellency Charles Savarin to go towards the refurbishing of the primary schools in Colihaut and Coulibistrie which would bring about a sense of normalcy in the lives of the children of these two communities.

Mr. Emmanuel said one of the tenets of Masonry is charity and he was happy and privileged to be able to make a contribution to a worthwhile effort, adding that it was the most they have given in one donation, but it is significant since it is an educational matter to be able to assist the children in returning to their schools, and his organization feels proud to be associated with the Presidents Charities Foundation Erika Relief Fund.

The funds are part of contributions to Dominica in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Erika from the region particularly Barbados and the Easter Caribbean.

His Excellency the President in accepting the contributions gave the rationale for focusing on the children of the two west coast communities of Colihaut and Coulibistrie and on the Grotto Home and Operation Youth Quake.

President Savarin explained that the President’s Charities foundation Erika Relief Fund wanted to do something for the children of these communities to have them settle down in their village since the Colihaut children were accommodated at the Dublanc School and the Coulibistrie children were accommodated at the Salisbury school.

The Relief Fund was started with an initial contribution of EC$27,000.00 from the President’s Charities Foundation Reserve Fund which stood at EC$30,000.00.

Local and Regional businesses have also made contributions to the Fund totaling EC$12,791.76.

ABOUT THE PRESIDENT’S CHARITIES FOUNDATION ERIKA RELIEF FUND
The President’s Charities foundation Erika Relief Fund aims at raising US $100,000.00, with a startup amount of US$10,000.00 contributed by the President’s Charities Foundation Reserve Fund.

The objective of the Relief Fund is to provide medium-term relief and comfort to the families, more particularly school children who reside in two of the worst affected communities on the West Coast namely Coulibistrie and Colihaut.

A President’s Charities Foundation Erika Relief Fund Account has been opened at the National bank of Dominica to facilitate this fundraising effort, and now stands at EC$122,791.67 with contributions from eight sources ranging from US$20,679.38 to US$50.00.