Dear Source:
On May 19, 2013, V.I. Mothers Against Guns Inc., and Jason Carroll Memorial Fund Inc. held the Tenth Annual Walk/ Run Against Gun Violence in the Virgin Islands. Sources reported that over Six Hundred individuals participated in the event.
Because of the support from the Virgin Islands community, we were able to have a successful event, and to raise enough money to help a Virgin Islands youth go to college. We congratulate the winner of the Jason Carroll Memorial one-year full tuition scholarship at the University of the Virgin Islands, Devon Williams, a graduating senior at Charlotte Amalie High School. UVI chose Mr. Williams as the winner for writing the best essay entitled "How the Virgin Islands Will Stop the Excessive Violence in its Community.” To date, because of the support of the community and our sponsors and donors, we have given out more than Fifty Thousand Dollars in scholarships to help deserving students.
A big thank you goes out to Governor John deJongh for proclaiming May 19, 2013 as Crime and Gun Violence Prevention Day. We also thank Deputy Chief of Police Dwayne DeGraff for reading the proclamation and for his inspiring address to the participants. VIPD also assisted in so many other ways and thanks are given to VIPD Police Commissioner Rodney Querrard and Chief of Police Darren Foy for their support. Also, special thanks go out to Sgt. Bridget Conow, the head of Crime Prevention with VIPD and to Darren the Lion and the Police Cadets. They all put a smiling face on the very serious business of fighting crime. We also console those members of the community who have been hurt by violence who took the time to sign the Memorial Wall in memory of their loved ones.
We would like to take this opportunity to also thank our sponsors, Fintrac LLC, St. Thomas Radiology Associates, the 284 Connection and My Brothers Workshop. They helped to make the event happen, and contributed to the success of the event in so many ways. Also, as usual, we could not have done the Walk/Run without the expertise of Therese Hodge and the volunteers from St. Thomas Association of Roadrunners.
We would also like to recognize donors who gave sums for this event, including Joel Holt, Esq., P.C., West Indian Company, First Bank Virgin Islands, Dudley, Topper and Feuerzeig, Attorney Henry Feuerzeig, Dr. Kevin Lenahan and Scotia Bank.
We are also grateful for the donations of beverages and other refreshments from Bellows, Coca Cola Bottling Co., West Indies Co., Cost U Less, Chi-Co’s, Plaza Extra and Merchant’s Market. We also thank Lt. Delita Francis who again assisted us at the water stop, and the Officers of the Virgin Islands Police Department and the volunteers with St. Thomas Rescue who helped to make certain that we would have a smoothly run and safe event. Thanks also to Jessica Joye and James Gardiner for taking pictures of the event.
We also want to thank the volunteers for the Walk Run who helped to make the Walk/Run a reality, including Byron Cortez, Laura Lunday, Trevis Baker, Tim McKague, Kelly Conforti and the other Fintrac volunteers. Also, Attorney Archie Jennings, Vernon Araujo, Adam Simmons, Charon Parker, Marcella Sadler, Anita George, Mr. Battiste and Pastor Othniel Vanterpool. Thanks also to Jarvis, Karen and Mr. Amey who helped with publicity for the event by distributing flyers. Thanks to our son, Jamaal, who came back home and helped with the event in so many ways.
The program would not have been possible without the assistance of Julian Jackson, Jr. who helped with the music and sound system and acted as the Master of Ceremonies. Also, the start of the event would not have been as well done without the Adventist Youth Drum Corps, Joel Gifft signaling the start with the Shofar and Pastor Levi Farrell praying for the participants. Edgar Phillip (Baker) helped us in so many ways with the sound truck and setting up the tents for the volunteers and Lew Henley with the portable toilet. Again, we have to thank Mitchell Neaves, the Director of Major Gifts from UVI for rendering special assistance to the Walk Run this year.
We wish to congratulate the trophy winners in our 9 different age categories for male and females and our overall winners Michael Thompson, the top male runner, and Keshema Fleming, the top female runner. We also congratulate Charlotte Amalie High School the school with the most participants, and the runner up, Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, and Scotiabank, the community organization with the most participants, and Fintrac, the runner up. Our youngest participant who went the whole distance on his own was Careem Peets, 4 years old.
We want to congratulate those people who represented their families, schools and communities by walking and running against violence. They were students and parents, teachers, counselors, principals and other persons from all walks of life who made a sacrifice to stand with us against violence in the community. We must commit in our hearts to change for true change to occur. It is up to us as a community for true change to occur. With the Grace of God, together as a community, we can change and win the war against gun violence. God bless the Virgin Islands.
Sincerely,
Celia A. Carroll, president
