OUR COMMUNITY
Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community. LUCELEC is proud, therefore, to bring people together through its power of caring that supports community initiatives, large and small, around the island.
From Independence Day celebrations in Fond St. Jacques to talent shows in Saltibus, from Nobel Laureate Week activities in Micoud to Christmas parties for underprivileged children in Roseau and Ti Colon/Barre St. Joseph, LUCELEC’s Power of Caring is being felt in every nook and cranny of St. Lucia.
We supported the Canaries Community Club’s first Academic Awards Ceremony in Canaries to celebrate academic excellence to inspire young people to achieve. We provided uniforms for a football development programme for Under-15 & Under-21 teams in Mon Repos. We assisted the Challengers Sports & Cultural Club from Soufriere in getting to Antigua for the Warriors Cup Football Tournament in which they emerged champions.
The extension of the power supply to the Goodwill Fishermen Cooperative Society Limited in Vieux Fort, the painting of the Dennery Bus Shelter, the sponsorship of the Community Nursing Service’s Health Centre Attendant Biannual Conference, and support for the St. Lucia National Trust’s Youth Environment Forum (YEF), are other examples of how far and wide LUCELEC’s Power of Caring extended in 2009.
CHARITIES
Among those who benefited from the LUCELEC Trust in 2009 were the myriad of charities and charitable institutions in St. Lucia.
Several interventions were made in support of fundraising efforts - the Marian Home’s Annual Poverty Meal, the Lions Club of Gros Islet’s Independence Charity Golf Tournament, the St. Lucia Crisis Centre’s Fathers Day Luncheon, and the annual fundraising dinners of the Friends of St. Jude Hospital, St. Lucy’s Home and Rotary Club of St. Lucia.
Other contributions were made to support worthy causes such as to the Feed the Poor Ministry’s feeding programme for elderly persons, the Poppy Appeal Fund to assist veterans and their dependants, the Friends of Golden Hope Society Annual Christmas Dinner for patients at Golden Hope Hospital, and the distribution of food hampers to the underprivileged in various communities at Easter and Christmas through the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Augier and the Streams of Power Youth Aflame Ministry. The Salvation Army, the Marian Home, Upton Girls’ Garden Centre and Grow Well Inc. also received various forms of assistance towards meeting the increased demand for the services offered by these institutions.
And there were indirect contributions too, through Government House to support the Governor General’s various charities, and Le Pavillon Royal Museum in aid of the restoration of St. Jude Hospital.
RELIGIOUS
Our donations span a range of organizations so that the widest possible cross section of society can benefit from our Power of Caring. In 2009, the LUCELEC Trust continued to support the religious community through their respective organisations and satellite groups.
We provided support to the Diocesan Clergy in efforts to promote the priesthood as a vocation for young men and the Mon Repos Catholic Youth Organization to assist in sending several young people to the 3rd AEC Youth Conference in Jamaica. The Grace Catholic Youth Organisation received assistance for its music ministry as did the Cathedral Parish for its annual fundraising dinner.
LUCELEC’s support for efforts to nurture strong moral values and discipline among young people included contributing towards the Streams of Power Ministries’ Annual Youth Camp that accommodated 200 young people.
And the Gros Islet Church of the Nazarene, the Plateau Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Evangelical Church of the West Indies, and the Fellowship Chorale all received assistance with various activities such as concerts and health fairs in their efforts to touch lives in their respective communities in meaningful ways.
ARTS & CULTURE
Art and Culture tell the story of a people and inspire minds, both young and old. LUCELEC’s Power of Caring extends to supporting the aspirations and creative endeavours of numerous artists, artistic and cultural groups, national festivals and budding photographers.
We continue to be major sponsors of St. Lucia Jazz at Pigeon Island, Fond d’Or, Tea Time Jazz at La Place Carenage, Jazz on the Pier at Pointe Seraphine, and Jazz on the Square.
As a partner sponsor of Zenaida Productions we supported a study tour for a group of young dancers and actors that included theatre and film workshops in Jamaica aimed at developing and refining budding talent.
Our commitment to the continued development of the calypso art form was expressed in our sponsorship of the Spectrum International Calypso Tent, the South Calypso Tent and the Tempest concert.
We helped playwrights, directors and actors give expression to their respective talents through our support for the Gemstones Theatre Workshop’s production of “A Black Woman’s Tale”, and we are proud to be associated with the production of the sound track for Derek Walcott’s Ti Jean and His Brothers feature film.
And as a sponsor of the National Conservation Authority’s Amateur Coastal Photography Contest we helped young people provide new pictorial perspectives of our beautiful island and discover hitherto untapped talents found in the coordinated efforts of their hands, eyes and creative minds.
NATIONAL
LUCELEC’s Power of Caring was released in several other national activities as well.
LUCELEC was a proud participant and exhibitor at the 2009 National Independence Exhibition in commemoration of Saint Lucia’s 30th Anniversary of Independence. And we continued our support for the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) that seeks to provide additional revenue generation opportunities in tourism.
We supported the National Emergency Management Organisation’s public awareness drive in responding to the H1N1 flu threat. We contributed $25,000 towards the establishment of a police substation at Rodney Bay in response to efforts to combat increasing incidence of crime in the area. And we supported efforts to recognise the contribution that the Police and the St. Lucia Fire and Emergency Services make to our individual and collective well being.
As a major sponsor and participant in Energy Awareness Week we continued the national effort in promoting energy efficiency that seeks to reduce expenditure on energy in the short term and improve and secure our quality of life in the long run.