On Saturday morning, a dedicated group of members of the Rotary Club of Montserrat repainted and made minor upgrades of the home of a vulnerable resident in Sweeney’s.
With the assistance of the Social Services Department, Rufus ‘Blind Man’ Phillip was identified someone whose domain had encountered deterioration and required upgrades.
According to a statement from the club, they coordinated with several local businesses and contractors to contribute to the success of the project. “The timber-framed home of Mr. Phillip saw portions of deteriorated floor paneling and external wall cladding removed and replaced, significant mold and mildew cleaned, staircases reconstructed, trees trimmed, and external walls, staircases, and columns repainted,” the release read.
Service Projects Director of the Rotary Club of Montserrat, Siobhan Tuitt shared “When we were told about Mr. Phillip’s visual impairment and his home that was in need of some repair work, we immediately knew that this was something we wanted to work on. We then reached out to private sector companies who were incredibly supportive and generous in their donation of materials for this cause. Executing some of our hands-on projects during this Rotary Year has been a challenge due to the pandemic, so we’re incredibly pleased to see this one come to fruition. Rotarians were truly happy to get our hands dirty to make a difference!”
2020-2021 President of the Rotary Club of Montserrat, Linda Dias stated “Rotary continues to serve the Montserrat community in any way that we can. We’re always looking for hands-on projects, so this was a great one that really got our members excited. We’re proud of the outcome and we’re happy that we’re able to lend some assistance to make this home a safer and welcoming environment for this lovely gentleman. This is what Rotary is about.”
Director of the Social Services Department, Teresina Fergus noted “The Social Services Department would like to thank the Rotary Club for the painting and repair work completed on behalf of a vulnerable person on Montserrat. We continue to benefit from our partnership with NGOs to enhance lives. We’re grateful to the Rotary Club and look forward to working together on future projects.”
The Rotary Club of Montserrat is a non-profit service organization whose stated purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian service and advance goodwill and peace within the Montserrat community. The Rotary Club of Montserrat is one of 73 clubs within the regional grouping of District 7030, which spans over 17 English, French, and Dutch territories within the Caribbean region.
The Rotary Club extended thanks totheir sponsors and partners in the project, including Nigel Osborne Enterprises Ltd., MS Osborne Do It Best, The Galloway Group, the Ministry of Communications, Works, Labour & Energy, and Vital Auto Parts. Special appreciation is extended to Neville Blake and Crew who executed the pre-painting work and repairs, and offered significant guidance and assistance during this project.
