Make a Difference Foundation hosts Christmas dinner for seniors

On Saturday night, the Make a Difference Foundation, under the patronage of Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw, the Member of Parliament for the St Michael South East constituency, hosted a Christmas dinner for seniors. 

Specially invited guests were served an à la carte dinner, prepared and served through the combined efforts of students from the Barbados Vocational Training Board the Barbados Community College Hospitality Institute.

The evening of festivities included special recognition for 98-year-old Irene Moore and 95-year-old Clemine Phillips, both of whom received gifts. The celebration also acknowledged a special milestone for Genetha and Curtis Agard, who were celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary. 

Emcee was Carl Padmore.

During the event Minister Bradshaw presented long service awards to individuals who have made significant contributions to the community. Among the honorees were Anthony Williams, recognised for his dedicated and unwavering support, and Hazel King of Hazel’s Arts and Craft, the host of the much-loved annual Easter Bonnet Parade. 

While presenting King’s award, Bradshaw commended her resilience and passion, saying, “She is an inspiration to me, and I hope that when I am 85 years old, I can still be doing all the things that I do in this community.”

Bradshaw reflected on the importance of fostering community spirit, stating, “There are so many seniors in the community, who are not only names on the electoral lists. These are people who are family, they are people who are friends that are close to us that we wanted especially at this time of year when we are reflecting, when we are in the spirit of giving, when we are in the spirit of caring for each other, that we wanted to bring a group of you together.”

She  added, “I want to replicate this event in other communities across St Michael South East and in the same way that I brought people from other districts into this area I want to be able to do the same thing in Lower Burney, in the Pine, in other areas of Dash Valley so that we can have some of the elderly people, the people that have served us in this community and across Barbados be in a space where we can be treating them, giving back as they have given to us.”

Minister Bradshaw was on the dance floor with her guests.

Tribute was paid to the late Mary Clarke, a stalwart of the Barbados Labour Party. In her honour, one of her favourite songs was played, evoking fond memories among attendees.

The evening’s entertainment featured saxophonist Mylon Clarke and a delightful medley of Christmas carols by a duo of steel pannists from the Daryl Jordan Secondary School. Dramatist Jennifer Walker performed a humorous skit, while Kymani ‘Mr Showman’ Devonish reigning Junior Monarch in the Soca category energised the crowd with his rendition of Mary Did You Know, Feliz Navidad, and his winning song, Ready, sparking a conga line led by Bradshaw herself.

Emcee Carl Alf’ Padmore was engaging as always, keeping attendees laughing throughout with his easy banter. (STT)