On Thursday 19 December, I handed over US$2,000 from Winchester Rotary to the District Governor of District 7030 (Southern Caribbean), Debbie Roopchand.
The funding is going towards Phase 2 of the refurbishment of a senior citizens care home on the island of Carriacou, just north of the parent island of Grenada. The care home, along with virtually all of the island and many of the islands nearby, was devastated during Hurricane Beryl in July last year (2024). A number of projects are underway, mostly with government support. But Rotary across the local islands chose to refurbish the care home, and to do so in 2 phases. Phase 1 was to repair the structure (roof, walls and windows) of the building and this has been completed. Phase 2 is to replace all the necessary furniture and appliances inside the care home at a cost of about US$40,000, and this is what the US$2,000 will help with. The project is being lead by the Rotary Club of Grenada East.
The US$2,000 came mainly from a mix of Winchester Rotary’s Disaster Relief fund and a donation from Riviera Travel (they donate 10% of a holiday price to Rotary).
The handover of the money was made during the Christmas Dinner for the Rotary Club of Gros Islet, St Lucia, at which DG Debbie (from Trinidad) was present. Also in attendance were DGE Soraya Warner-Gustave (from St Lucia), AG Albert Daniels (St Lucia), Lorenzo Francis (President of Rotary Club of St Lucia) and members of both St Lucia Rotary clubs.
The photos show some of the devastation to the island and the care home, and part of the repair work.
Richard Spalding
Additional photographs can be found here.
