The first Berbice Cricket Board/Shimron and Nirvani Hetmyer Berbice Cricket Trust Fund was launched yesterday at the St. Francis Centre, Rose Hall Town.
A total of 64 clubs benefited from the Trust Fund, receiving a quantity of cricket balls, while nine educational vouchers were given to outstanding youth cricketers who are currently attending secondary schools.
At the launch, Hetmyer, who was accompanied by his wife, explained the reason behind his generosity.
“I know basically where I came from. I started playing for Berbice, that is where it basically started. I was a bit indisciplined. It would have grown out by now but as I said knowing where I came from and always wanting to help get people on board just to push my career forward and to have this opportunity now to help others it’s something I relish and for me I would just like to say thank you for being here and hopefully we can do some more of this in the next couple of years,” he said.
Hetmyer was praised as a national hero by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, who also serves as Patron of the BCB.
Bharrat reminded those in attendance and aspiring cricketers that they can accomplish their dreams through hard work, discipline and ambition.
The clubs were divided into zones with No. 73 Radha Krishna Foundation, Dukestown Warriors, Eagle Cricket Club No. 69, No. 52 Survival CC, No. 43 Scorpion, No. 70 Young Blood, Crabwood Creek SC, All Family CC, Bomb Squad CC, No. 48 Challengers, No. 70 Spartans, Line Path Raptors, Skeldon Estate Community Centre, No. 72 CC, Yakusari Horizon CC, No. 73 Young Star, No. 64 Fighting Marines and Scottsburg United benefiting from the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association while from West Berbice, Blairmont Remnants, Blairmont Community Centre CC, D’Edward, Cotton Tree Die Hard, Bath CC, Achievers, Bush Lot United, Bush Lot Rising Star, Rainbow Generation, Paradise Challenge and No. 5 Mondderlust were the recipients.
From the Lower Corentyne/Central Corentyne zone, the clubs aided were Ramnarine Memorial, Whim, Kildonan, Tain Clifton Johns SC, Tain Block 4, Port Mourant, Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, Tamarin Root, University of Guyana Elites, Rose Hall Tigers, Belvedere United, Nigg Intruders, Albion Open, Albion Community Centre, Chesney, Sand Reef, Kilcoy, Jai Hind, Courtland, Fyrish, No. 1 Road CC and Kennard Memorial while Betsy Ground, Goed Banenan, Canje Titans, Rose Hall Canje, Young Warriors, Kendall Union CC, Kendall Union Sports Star CC, Tucber Park, Mt. Sinai, Guymine SC, Edinburgh CC, East Bank Blazers, Sisters CC and Kothbradth CC assisted.
Receiving the $25,000 voucher redeemable at Metro were Avishkar Persaud (RH Canje), Avishkar Mohabir (RH Canje), Lando Harry (Edinburgh), Kelston Kisten (Tucber Park), Kevin Dennis (Guymine), Adrian David (East Bank Blazers), Yohance Williams (Mt. Sinai) and Jamie Campbelle (RH Canje).
Also, left-arm spinner, Gourav Ramesh was adjudged as the Most Valuable Player for Berbice in last month’s Guyana Cricket Board Under-19 inter-county tournament.
