The Tribune

Bahamas Red Cross Society

THE Bahamas Red Cross Society Annual Fair is back. After three years of not being able to hold this popular Bahamian tradition, the 79th Annual Red Cross Fair will celebrate in unison with the country as the country celebrates its 50th anniversary of Independence.

The fair was traditionally held at Government House and moved location to Clifford Park in 2019. Due to the preparations for the independence celebrations, the park is under renovations so the fair will move across the street to the Arawak Cay Fish Fry Heritage Site on West Bay Street. The fair is scheduled to be held on Saturday, April 29, from 11am to midnight, and Sunday, April 30, from noon to 6pm.

The fair is a national fair and a staple on the calendar for Bahamians at large. A family-orientated event, this fair will feature a Kid’s Zone with its own entertainment stage focused on the young and young at heart. There will be a Bahamian showcase zone for artisans and everything Bahamian. Vendor booths offering local and international delicacies will also be present.

Musical entertainment will be heard on both days with well-known Bahamian musicians.

This event is a fundraising event for the Red Cross to help it provide humanitarian relief in vulnerable communities across the country. We are grateful to all of our sponsors and donors to make this event a memorable one. Like many NGOs and charitable organisations, The Bahamas Red Cross Society faced incredible challenges due to Hurricane Dorian and the pandemic. We can only rebound with the assistance of the public and donors.

For more information contact dheastie@gmail. com or edormeus@bahamasredcross. org.

Nassau Hash House Harriers

The Nassau Hash House Harriers social running club meets every week and has done so in Nassau for the last 40 years. We collect a few subs each week to cover social events and general running of the club, and we are sponsored by Sands beer.

We do sometimes have a bit left over and this year we decided to donate $1,000 to Lend A Hand Bahamas.

We visited them today to meet some of the kids and learn about the amazing work that Lend a Hand does in the community.

We met Savitri Major, education coordinator, and Kavon McInnis, culinary arts instructor, who are invaluable to the community and the programmes that they run from the centre.

Phlebotomy Mastery Institute

The Phlebotomy Mastery Institute (PMI) joined the American Medical Technologists Association (AMT) to celebrate Phlebotomists Recognition Week, February 13-17. However, they jump started their week by giving back to the community in a mini health fair.

On Saturday, February 11, they, in collaboration with The People’s Pharmacy, hosted “General Hospital” Health Fair at The Prince Charles Shopping Centre, offering free glucose and blood pressure monitoring as well as blood typing to many members of the public.

It was a beautiful sight to watch over 20 PMI supervised students, dressed in their eye-catching green T-shirts, test, with skill and care, over 40 men and women of our community. Their T-shirts read: “Phlebotomists are the front-line of the laboratory”.

They echoed that sentiment on Tuesday, February 14, on a live talk show, “Unfiltered with Mo” at 103.5FM and on Facebook live.

Sade Smith, registered phlebotomist (AMT), Uricka Jones-Burrows, student at present, and Dillette Miller, CEO, spoke of the week of celebrations. They also spoke about the certification process with the American Medical Technology Association that equips their students to be certified phlebotomy professionals.

Miller, CEO, said that “without the adept skills of the phlebotomist as the gatekeepers of the laboratory, the diagnosis given by physicians would be suspect”.

On Wednesday, February 15, two busloads of PMI students had the pleasure of visiting Bonaventure Medical Laboratory, East Avenue, Centreville. They were given a tour of the different departments of the laboratory by Courtney Smith, laboratory administrator.

This informative walking tour showcased the diversity of testing facilities and instrumentation housed by this well-known lab which has been in existence for over 27 years, serving our community. It was certainly an invaluable educational experience that assisted PMI students in the assimilation of the phlebotomy principles as taught at PMI.

On Thursday, February 16, they ended this week of celebrations with a dinner that honored those students who have passed the prestigious AMT Certification Exam. Angelaine Pickstock, was the first of 11 students (to date) to pass the AMT with flying colors from PMI. Adrianna Sturrup-Knowles, D’Ann Walker, from Abaco, Janae Brown, Jarawdo Brown, Kyndace Mckenzie, Sade Smith, Rowelinda Alcius, Maya Peterson, Tennay Poitier, and Anell Walkes are all now registered phlebotomists.

As a result of this week of acknowledgement of the important role of the phlebotomist, many have inquired as to how they too could join this cadre of healthcare professionals in the next class that starts on March 24.

The Bahamas needs more caring, compassionate and empathetic individuals to learn these medical skills so that they too can impact our community as they serve each patient as valuable human beings.

Kudos to all those in the medical field who have dared to care and who have dared to serve, sometimes at the risk of their own lives. We are sure that the healthcare arena would only improve as more qualified, caring and empathetic medical professionals equip themselves for selfless service.

For more information about the institute, contact Dillette Brown-Miller at dillette.miller@gmail.com or 242-422-3421.

Toastmasters

VICE-president of membership TM Camron K Reckley, was able to bring in 15 new members for the first and second quarters of this Toastmaster Year.

These men will be “Forged in the Flames of Leadership”.

In Toastmasters, we provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth. We are excited for these new members and the journey they are about to embark on.

• To feature on this page, submit your report to clubs@tribunemedia.net, with “Clubs Page” written in the subject line or call 826-2242 for more details.