The St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church of Port Mourant was presented with a $175,000 musical band and accompaniments and a striking welcome billboard valued $40,000, last weekend.
According to a press release, the gifts were given through the efforts of the recently reformed St Francis Youth Club and the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC). The club has 25 youth and 10 adults who have dedicated themselves to resuscitating the church. The musical band, including a complete drum set, two guitars and an amplifier were provided by a businessman who is a club member who requested anonymity. The billboard was donated by Bakewell.
Secretary of the RHTYSC Hilbert Foster, who spearheaded the resuscitation drive, said that “the youths of the church have committed themselves to returning it to its former glory.”
Since its reactivation last month, the St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Youth Club has been involved in a number of social activities and has a roster of programmes planned for the festive season and beyond.
To date, the club has hosted an art competition for youths, provided monthly food hampers for senior citizens, formed a church choir, provided snacks for church members, hosted an essay competition for youths and they have been assisting a 96-year-old retired teacher with clothing and meals.
The youths have also planned to present church members with gifts on their birthdays while on December 15 over 300 toys were presented to children at churches in New Amsterdam, Palmyra, Port Mourant, Black Bush Polder, Skeldon and Siparuta.
From January 2014, the youth club would also be hosting a monthly television programme on DTV-8 with sponsorship from Sterling Products while the St Francis Xavier Church Fair will be held on February 15, 2014 after a lengthy absence.
