The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DOCTORS from the Accident and Emergency Department at Grand Bahama Health Services held their annual Christmas give-back event at the Grand Bahama Children’s Home on Friday.

The group of 25 doctors presented wrapped Christmas gifts and individual care packages, educational and toiletry items to the home, and hosted a luncheon for the 20 resident children and staff.

Dr Michelle Sweeting, clinical director and emergency medicine consultant at A&E, said this is the sixth year they have pooled their funds to give back to the community. “Today we are giving back to the children’s home,” said Dr Sweeting, who noted that the annual event started some six years ago when they raised funds to help displaced tsunami victims in the Philippines.

“We felt that instead of having a Christmas party, eating food and getting fat, we decided to do something better with the little funds we had. So, we started pooling our funds together and we would select a recipient,” she explained.

In 2011 when the Philippines suffered a devastating tsunami, Dr Sweeting said they decided to raise money for that cause since a lot of the physicians in the A&E Department are from the island.

They were able to raise over $10,000 with the help of the public, local contributors, and religious organisations. The money was used to help build homes for the displaced victims, she said. “After that we decided to stay closer home, and we went to Raybertha’s Home for the Elderly in Freeport,” she recalled.

The third year the group went to Mayaguana which was affected by a hurricane. In 2016, the group went into West End following the devastation caused there by Hurricane Matthew. In 2017, the group of physicians went into East Grand Bahama where they visited the East End Primary School.

“And this year we are now with the Grand Bahama Children’s Home where there are 20 kids here. We found out about each child, their gender, age, what they like, and allergies, and we have their gifts and care packages and wrapped presents, and a gift for the home itself,” she said.

The doctors also held a small luncheon for the recipients. Dr Sweeting thanked the Pepperpot Restaurant for always supporting their events.

Sheila Johnson, executive director of the Grand Bahama Children’s Home, said the orphanage started in 1977 in a small efficiency apartment loaned to them.

She noted that a group of concerned citizens came together to establish the home, including tourism executive Terrence Roberts who was the president at the time, and his wife, along with others who decided to have the children remain on the island instead of being flown to Nassau where they would not see their extended families.

Mrs Johnson, who was a social worker just out of college at the time, recalled that they had to put the babies in dresser drawers.

“As you can see, we have come a long way after 40 years. We are continuing to make it a home – it is not an institution. It is a home we try to make for the children who for no fault of theirs find themselves in this position. We try to give them good memories to combat the horrible memories of childhood,” she said.

“We are always grateful that persons such as yourselves who saw fit to come and give back to our children who have been disadvantaged, but who are doing a tremendous amount of work in school. I am proud to say that last year we had eight children who were on the honour roll,” she said.

Ms Johnson noted that events like this make a huge difference in the lives of the children there, and commended Dr Sweeting and her team at A&E for choosing the home for its donation.

According to the executive director, four of the 20 children at the home are mentally and physically challenged, and they desperately need a bus for disabled children and a wheelchair.

“We were never designed for children who are disabled, but circumstances change, and when (Department of) Social Services asks if we can take a child, we cannot say no even though we are short-staffed and do not have the money. So we are asking for help again from the community,” she said.