The Berbice Cricket Board and Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club have begun distributing food hampers to those in need in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
The project will see hundreds of food hampers shared to those who are finding it difficult to procure foodsuffs due to a number of circumstances, particularly unemployment, since the pandemic has forced some businesses and industries to be closed.
On Thursday, the programme saw a number of hampers handed out to players, groundsmen, officials and others while yesterday, over 130 hampers were shared to those in need.
Among the clubs receiving hampers were West Berbice, Blairmont, Mount Sinai, Rose Hall Canje, Young Warriors, Chesney, Whim, Albion, Port Mourant, Guymine and Kildonan.
On Thursday, BCB president, Hilbert Foster, said:“Today [Thursday] was one of the most difficult days of my life as I observed first hand, the massive suffering that our less fortunate Guyanese are going through.”
Foster, who also functions as the Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer of RHTYSC, explained, “The requests for assistance are very wide and we would continue to assist as much as we can but we need your assistance to do so… I observed first hand families barely keeping their heads above [water] as parents are unable to work and children are going to bed without anything to eat… Those of us who are in a position to assist have a moral duty to reach out to those less fortunate than us.”
To date, donations have poured in from all parts of the country and have been well received by cricketers across the country.
Among those contributing were Shimron Hetmyer, Kevin Sinclair, Shabeer Baksh, Farook Khan, Rondall Lewis, Region Six vice-chairman Dennis Deroop, Brandon Corlette, Junior Blair, R Lawson, Linden Joseph, Anil Beharry, Royston Crandon, Clinton Pestano, Shemaine Campbelle, Tremayne Smartt, Sheneeta Grimmond, Cricket Zone USA Ravi Etwaroo, Ryan Tillack, Dennis D’ Andrade, Victor Takurdeen, Mortimer George and his wife, Bish Panday, Dr Puran Singh, Adrian Singh, Mahendra Gopilall, Terry Pike, Tim Sandia, Brandon Prashad, and others.
Foster expressed gratitude to those who have contributed and encouraged others to do the same since the project is expected to reach as many people as possible.
“Donation of food items and bags to put the hampers are still welcome as we seek to assist as much persons as possible,” said Foster.
Persons willing to contribute can contact Simon Naidu (649 6447), Foster (337 4443), Angela Haniff on 333 3905 or Ameer Rahaman on 641 0890.
