SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) – Over the past couple of weeks the St. Vincent Support Group’s (SVSG) efforts led by Clarence Derby, Natasha Wright Derby, and Augustus Thomas, have met and exceeded all expectations by receiving approximately 60 tons of items including water, food, medical supplies etc. for the people of St. Vincent who have been suffering from the fallout of the La Soufriere Volcano.
The assistance has been coming from so many citizens and organizations in the community, said the SVSG, and they would like to thank everyone too numerous to mention right now for their support.
The SVSG is also full of praise to radio personality Billy D at SOS Radio who has done a tremendous job in helping to raise funds for the volcano victims as well as the Tradewinds Cruise Club.
“Getting these items to Saint Vincent created a major challenge but soon was solved. The owner Mike McKenzie of the big red boat, a boat with a capacity of over 35 tons have made the boat available to us without charge to transport these items.
“With the only obligation that we supply the fuel. As is evident in the photos attached, the boat has already made its first voyage to Saint Vincent as a result of a huge contribution by the Tradewinds Vacation Club who paid for the fuel.
“The good news is that thanks to Sol, CEO Mr. Robert James, the boat is able to make a second voyage for the relief effort,” according to a media statement from the SVSG.
The Big Red Boat was scheduled to leave Saint Vincent on the morning of May 2nd and is expected to be back in St. Maarten on Tuesday May 4th with the mission for the Big Red Boat to depart with another load of relief items for Saint Vincent next weekend.
The group in its effort to continue its disaster relief drive to collect items for St. Vincent, said they have two drop off points: • WIFOL Building Walter Nisbeth Road and • The St. Maarten Festival Village.
Both locations have been accessible as of Saturday April 17 from 10am to 7pm daily. This drive is in collaboration with National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) St. Vincent. This drive is also supported by the Adventist development Relief Agency (ADRA), Dutch side Fire fighters Association, WIFOL, and the Caribbean Unity Foundation, the Trade Winds Cruise Club, K1 Brittannia Foundation, and Alicia Stay Foundation.
There will be boxes at all major supermarkets where nonperishable items can be dropped off. The following is a list of relief items that is needed:
- Bottled Water
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Cereal
- Deodorant
- Soap
- Hand Sanitizers
- Feminine supplies
- Bath towels
- Toilet paper
- Masks
- Blankets
- Sheets
- Pillows
- Baby wipes
- Baby formula
- Baby clothing
- Diapers (babies and adults)
- Canned Foods
- Sugar
- Flour
- Rice
- Children snacks
- Batteries
- Pain Killers
- Adult clothing
- Shoes slippers
- Rubber Boots
- Socks
