The Red Carpet Ball fund raiser hosted by the Women in Action for the Needy and Destitute (WAND) has raised thousands for the construction of the NGO's Transition Home at Coora Camp, Siparia, and community projects in East Port-of-Spain.
Guests and patrons opened their hearts and cheque books and gave generously for a worthy cause at the gala affair held at The Hyatt Regency, Ballroom, Port-of-Spain, on May 14, following the president of the foundation Jan Bocas-Ryan's address appealing for funds to assist the needy and less fortunate.
She called on the captains of industry to come on board and support the organisation's efforts particularly in the high-risk areas by way of developing charitable projects which included homes for the elderly, children's homes and drug rehabilitation centres.
Demonstrating corporate magnanimity, PriceSmart stepped up to the plate and its country manager, Dhanraj Mahabir presented a cheque to the foundation for TT$424,710.25 to supply computer equipment to several high-risk communities through its work with the Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, who was in attendance.
On the evening, donations from Xtra Foods for TT$100,000 and TT$3,000 from a private person were received, in addition to the proceeds of the silent auction and prize draw.
The Red Carpet Ball, the first in a series of continuing efforts to raise funds to assist the needy, brought cheer and absolute delight to over 300 patrons. Wand transformed the Hyatt Regency Ballroom into an incredible mixture of elegance, joy and romance reminiscent of yesteryear.
Ladies resplendent in their evening gowns and men who were the picture of sartorial splendor in their tuxedos danced and swayed to the fantastic music of the Fire Service Band and the UTT Musicians and the smooth serenading of vocalist Ancil Valley.
Guests were treated to an exquisite plated dinner of delightful Caribbean flavours of seared mahi mahi with local fruit chutney and roasted leg of lamb with rosemary au jus.
There was the cheerful exuberance of the eagerly anticipated silent auction which raised over $37,000 and delight of the organisation's many guests who received wonderful gifts as beautiful reminders of their enchanting evening.
Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon in her heartfelt feature address congratulated WAND for its steadfast efforts in the communities of T&T and promised her continued support of the foundation.
Bocas-Ryan toasted the organisation's guests and pledged to carry on its work smartly to bring in any measure of hope and opportunity to those in need.
Sincere thanks were extended to many of the foundation's donors and patrons for making the Red Carpet Ball a resounding success, and special thanks went out to The TSL Group, Fresh Media and the press for their faithful and unwavering support.
Celebrations continued with guests being delightfully serenaded by Chief Justice Ivor Archie.WAND received an outpouring of compliments for a charming evening infused with true Trinidadian hospitality.
Bocas-Ryan said because of the high levels of delinquency, drugs, violence and poverty in the country, especially in Laventille and the diaspora of Beetham Gardens, the organisation felt that it was imperative for WAND to raise funds for programmes in some of these areas.
She said the drug trade, which in many ways was at the root of the evil that plagued the country, had resulted in the emergence of gangs. Bocas-Ryan said these gangs which had proliferated these tiny islands were at the epicenter of the turf wars breaking out all over the country. She said it was the foundation's hope that the little that WAND was able to do will save some of the children. Bocas-Ryan said the foundation had also continued its work in south Trinidad at the Palo Seco Wand Drug Centre which it built and commissioned in 2012.
She said over the past four years of its existence the programme had been successful but out of this success another need had arisen, the building of a new transition home to complement the foundation's rehabilitation programme.
Bocas-Ryan said this home will be the transit station for those who had completed their programme at Palo Seco and will become the testing ground for clients before they become qualified to step back into the world. She said the new centre will be built at Coora Camp in Siparia, as an extension of its Palo Seco facility.
Bocas-Ryan said the evening's event was to raise funds for some of the foundation's projects which will bring benefits to at least 15 children.
�2 For more information visit Wand's website at www.wandfoundation.org, Facebook at fb.com/WANDfoundation or write to the organisation at info@wandfoundation.org