NEW YORK, New York – Vincentians in the United States on Sunday, will start celebrating their 46th Anniversary of political independence from Great Britain with an Ecumenical Service of Thanksgiving in Brooklyn
President of the Brooklyn-based umbrella Vincentian organizations in the US, Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations USA, Inc. (COSAGO), Crispin Friday, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), said the service will be held in conjunction with the New York-based Consulate General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the United States.
The Rector of St. Albans Episcopal Church is Belizean-born the Rev. Canon George L. Bonner.
Friday said the COSAGO-organized Gala Independence Anniversary Scholarship Awards Luncheon, held under the auspices of the Consulate General to the United States, will take place the following Sunday, Oct. 26, starting at 12:30 pm, at Russo’s on the Bay in the Howard Beach section of Queens, New York.
“There will be two scholarships awarded, and they are in memory of two esteemed founding members of COSAGO – Mr. Dollis Forbes and Dr. Errol G. King,” Friday said. “Their legacy continues to inspire COSAGO’s mission, vision and values in the community.
“Giving this award, COSAGO reaffirms its commitment to uplifting the next generation and preserving its foundation values,” he added.
Celia Bramble, chairperson of the Scholarship Committee, a retired Registered Nurse and colonel in the US Army Reserve, also told CMC that, although Dr. King, a former COSAGO president, and Forbes, have passed on, their legacies continue to inspire COSAGO’s “mission, vision, values and sense of community.”
“The scholarship is designed to financially assist qualified applicants in obtaining a degree from an accredited academic institution of higher learning,” said Bramble, a former director of training and education at the sprawling Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn.
“It will be awarded to outstanding college-bound students of Vincentian heritage, who exemplify academic dedication, leadership, community involvement, and a strong sense of cultural identity,” she added.
“The scholarship will serve, not only as a tribute to the visionary leadership and selfless service of our late founders, but also as an investment in the future of young students of Vincentian heritage, who are striving to make a meaningful difference through education,” Bramble continued.
She said recipients will be selected through a competitive process that evaluates academic achievement, personal integrity, resilience, individual need, and service to others.
“Through this award, COSAGO reaffirms its commitment to uplifting the next generation, and preserving the values on which the organization was built,” said Bramble, disclosing that the scholarship award is US $1,500.00.
On Monday, October 27, the Consulate General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the United States will host the annual Flag-Raising Ceremony at Bowling Green Square, Lower Manhattan, New York.
