The Reds Perreira Sports Foundation benefited from the generosity of overseas-based Guyanese businessman Dave Narine who contributed $250,000 yesterday.
President of the Foundation Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira, who recently returned for a brief stay in Guyana, received the sizable contribution from Narine at a brief presentation ceremony at Le Meridien Pegasus yesterday.
Narine is the Chief Executive Officer of Dave West Indian Product in Queens, New York and specializes in the importation and distribution of Caribbean food products.
“I was encouraged to help out in this small way because I had been following Reds’ [Perreira] work and after a few discussions I decided to lend a hand to aid in his cause,” he said.
“This is the first time that I have contributed to the foundation but it wouldn’t be the last because I am impressed by the work done by the foundation and I am willing to contribute to the foundation in the future,” he added.
Apart from the $250,000, Narine also contributed a small quantity of sporting equipment which he said he decided to buy since they were reasonably priced.
The separate items which he contributed were an electronic stopwatch, two table tennis rackets and six table tennis balls, a dozen tennis balls, and a volley ball.
Perreira said that all of Narine’s contributions were willingly accepted and that they will be utilized by the foundation in a series of projects that they plan to embark on soon.
“Mr Narine is a keen cricket follower and the foundation approached him during the Sri Lanka test at Providence in March and he had willingly pledged his support and interest in the initiatives of the foundation,” Perreira said. The Reds Perreira Sports Foundation has embarked on 18 projects ever since it began in 2005.
Perreira said that the next event that the foundation will have is the Night of Nostalgia which is scheduled for December 11th this year.
The featured speakers for the event will be legendary Guyana tennis players Ian Mac Donald, local track star from the 1960s George Depena and a former West Indian batsman whose name will be announced later.
Reds also said that he will be presenting a complete set of cricket gear and carrying bag to Martindale Primary School in the Pomeroon which is the school he attended.