The Crescent Pool is going to make a gorgeous back drop for our event and the food and beverage department has pulled out all the stops for us too – calling it impressive is an understatement!' (Photo courtesy of Our Lucaya)
FREEPORT, Grand Bahama -- Slated to be the biggest event of the fall calendar, the 30th Anniversary celebrations for the Grand Bahama Children’s Home is an annual fundraiser for abandoned and neglected children of the island.
Set for Friday, October the 15th, at the Crescent pool of Our Lucaya, the fundraiser will also be a celebration of the Children’s Home’s 30 years of service to the children of Bahamas. “I can still remember the first Children’s Home,” said Shelia Smith, Executive Committee Member. “We used drawers for cribs for the babies, because of lack of space – we’ve come a long way to where we are now thanks to the community.”
It is this same community that is being asked to support the Home again as raising over 2,000 children during its time has been an ongoing challenge. “We’ve had our good and bad times,” noted Smith “but somehow we’ve managed to keep our doors open and take care of so many. Each penny raised truly makes a difference for us.”
This year, the committee is thrilled to having the special 30th Anniversary celebration at Our Lucaya. “We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the Our Lucaya Team and their new General Manger, Michael Weber,” noted Barbara Stollery, Fundraising Committee Member. “The Crescent Pool is going to make a gorgeous back drop for our event and the food and beverage department has pulled out all the stops for us too – calling it impressive is an understatement!”
The fundraising committee has been working with Carmel Churchill Resort Group Sales Manager, Executive Chef, Dwaine Clare and the Conventions team: Laurel Bartlett and Kevin Clarke. “We’ve found the staff extremely helpful and very cooperative,” added Stollery. “This has opened a wonderful new door for Our Lucaya and its partnership with the Grand Bahama community and our Home.”
Set at the far east of the property, the night will commence with a welcome glass of wine and delicious hors d'œuvres throughout the evening. In addition to this, the committee has been working with Gloria McGlone and the Freeport Player’s Guild who will be showcasing various numbers from their acclaimed show ‘Ain't Misbehavin'.’
Pictured are four of the talented cast performing earlier this year at the Regency Theatre. Tickets for the event are now on sale at Barefoot Marketing, GBPA, Chamber of Commerce, Le Rendezvous and the Seventeen Shop. (Photo: Erik J. Russell / Keen i Media Ltd)
“We are planning just a few numbers for the night, an elegant jewelry showing and a wonderful surprise presentation too,” added Geneva Rutherford, Executive Committee Member and Co-Emcee for the evening. “We are also thrilled that the Minister of State for Social Services, Loretta Turner Butler will be in attendance as well as our Patron for the night, Lady Joan Foulkes,” she added.
Tickets for the event have been selling well with tremendous corporate support also coming in from: Focol, Bradford Marine, Polymers, First Caribbean, RBC, GB Shipyard, Pharmachem, Vopak and two of their annual supporters GB Devco and Millie’s Car Rental. Tickets are $75 in advance, $80 at the door, and can be purchased at The Seventeen Shop, Barefoot Marketing, the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, The Grand Bahama Port Authority, and Le Rendezvous Restaurant in the International Bazaar.
“We are looking forward to a wonderful night and are asking for the community’s support,” said Rutherford. “As they say it takes a village to raise a child and these children above all need our help and love. We want everyone to know each penny raised reaches our Home – and the funds are needed on this 30th Anniversary more than ever.”
