The Heliconia Foundation for Young Professionals hosted its third Annual Christmas Charity Cocktail, “Mistletoe, Martinis and Charity”, on December 11 at the VAS Lounge, Port of Spain.
This charity event was geared towards generating funds for the foundation's Scholarship Trust Fund, which was established by trust deed and registered on January 28, 2015. The fund is dedicated to supporting and promoting the achievement of academic excellence by young people from vulnerable homes and communities and is funded by the efforts of the trustees, non-profit organisations, the Heliconia Foundation and the trust's supporters who share this mission.
The Scholarship Board trustees are: Senator Michael Coppin (president), Vyash Nandlal (VP, Finance), Avinash Singh (parliamentary secretary) and Maritza Da Silva (Heliconia member).
The event was well-attended by members, affiliates and well-wishers of the foundation, sponsors and representatives of the People's National Movement (PNM), which included Fitzgerald Hinds, Member of Parliament for Laventille West and Minister of Public Utilities; PNM general secretary Ashton Ford, and PNM welfare officer Jocelyn Bodden. Also in attendance was Jude James, the 2015 scholarship winner and recipient of a $20,000 bursary. This high-energy event featured excellent live entertainment by soca artiste Orlando Octave, La Nueva Parang Band, Vizion and singer Chinnaka Wheeler.
The foundation, through the Scholarship Trust, awarded four young nationals bursaries of $5,000 each towards their tertiary education. The 2016 Scholarship awardees are: Josel Hamilton (Moruga), pursuing a BSc in Sociology and Literature, Jabari Sylvester (Diego Martin), pursuing a BSc in Environmental Science and Psychology, Mickiel Gabriel (Laventille), music director, and Latanya Potts (Maloney Gardens), who is pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery.
The foundation expressed thanks to its events sponsors which included Stechers Ltd, Carib Brewery, Vesuvius, RIK Bookstores and Amera Marketing and Distribution Ltd
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