BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (MMS-SKN) — Inclement weather that characterised the day Saturday, October 28, did not deter persons living with disabilities from going out for a beach rendezvous at the Anchorage on the Strip in Frigate Bay with the St. Kitts (Basseterre) Lions Club as part of the organisation’s outreach programme.
They however did not enjoy the beach due to the inclement, but thanks to courtesy extended to them by the management of Inon’s Beach Bar on the Strip, next to the Anchorage, they were allowed to take shelter from the rain in the bar. Here they enjoyed an afternoon where they played domino games and partook of the lunch that had been prepared by members of the Lions Club.
While in the past the St. Kitts (Basseterre) Lions Club held such outreach adventures with members of the St. Kitts Society for the Blind, this year the invitation was also extended to their sister organisation, the St. Kitts Nevis Association for Persons with Disabilities.
“This is part of our outreach to the persons with different challenges in the community,” said the President of the St. Kitts (Basseterre) Lions Club, Lion Adaeze Hanley. “We have maintained this relationship with this association (St. Kitts Society for the Blind) over the years, and we slacked off a bit because of Covid and so on, but we are getting back on stream.”
The outing was organised by the Past President, and Chairperson for the Club’s Services Committee, Lion Charmaine Pemberton, who was assisted by club members in entertaining their invited guests, as much as they missed the outdoor activities due to the inclement weather.
“It is nice to fellowship with persons in order for them to get out, and we get to meet them and have a good day of fun – clean fun, dominos, laughing, eating and drinking,” said President Adaeze Hanley.
President of the St. Kitts Society for the Blind, Mr Rockliffe Bowen, who is also the Vice President of the Association for Persons with Disabilities, said that his members were grateful to the St. Kitts (Basseterre) Lions for remembering them in that kind gesture.
“I hope that the Lord will give them, the members, strength to carry on,” said Mr Bowen. “Unfortunately because of the inclement weather, all of the people are not here, but for the few who are here, I want to let members of the Lions Club know that we enjoyed every moment of it. I am asking the other members if they can convey words of appreciation to the other members of the St. Kitts Lions Club.”
On behalf of members of the St. Kitts Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities who operate out of the McKnight Community Centre, President Mr Joseph Bergan said that the invitation to come for the beach rendezvous at the Anchorage had been extended to them through Mr Rockliffe Bowen who normally partners with the Lions Club.
“I am here this afternoon, I am grateful for what I am seeing here and I am very thankful that such an invitation could be extended to us,” said Mr Bergan. “Going forward we would like to see more of these, not just from the Lions Club, but other groups in and around the Federation and, I personally would like to thank the organisers for extending such an invitation on to us and thank them for having us this afternoon. I really appreciate being here and what the organisers from the Lions Club have done for us today.”
Chairperson for the Lion Club’s Services Committee, Lion Charmaine Pemberton, said that she was initially worried that the event would not take place, but when she called Mr Bowen to find out what was going on, she was surprised when he told her that they were already at the Anchorage, but because of the rain, they had taken shelter at Inon’s Beach Bar.
On arrival, she talked to the management of the bar and they said that they were happy to host them and their guests, persons living with disabilities. In thanking the management of the bar for hosting them, she noted that when she asked if they could offer them a token of appreciation, the management politely declined and said they were glad to host them.