Dear Source:
On May 18, 2014, V.I. Mothers Against Guns, Inc., and Jason Carroll Memorial Fund, Inc. held the Eleventh Annual Walk/ Run Against Gun Violence in the Virgin Islands. All who participated considered the event a success.
We congratulate the winner of the Jason Carroll Memorial one-year full tuition scholarship at the University of the Virgin Islands, Jabari Alexander, a graduating senior at Charlotte Amalie High School, and also, Sean Benjamin, the UVI student who won an Assistanceship to work with the UVI Antiviolence Institute this year. 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 18, 2014 as Crime and Gun Violence Prevention Day and encouraging residents to participate in the Walk Run. We also thank Chief of Police Darren Foy for summarizing the proclamation and for addressing the participants. Also, special thanks go out to Sgt. Bridget Conow, Sgt. Isaac Porter and Officer Poleon who are with VIPD Crime Prevention and to Commissioner Querrard and Assistant Commissioner Hannah for working hard to bring Mr. McGruff, the crime-fighting dog, to the event. Mr. McGruff put a well-known and 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, Scott Bradley and My Brothers Workshop, Griffin McFarlane and the Sunrise Youth Foundation, Shane and Asha DeGannes and the M2M Road Race and Pastor Lennox Zamore and Alston “Magic” Creque and the V.I Department of Human Services. 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., International Capital Management Co., West Indian Company, First Bank Virgin Islands, Jubilee Ministries, Attorney Henry Feuerzeig, Dr. Kevin Lenahan, Scotia Bank, Cornelius Bass and Charon Parker.
We are also grateful for the donations of beverages and other refreshments from Bellows, Caribbean Food Service, Chi-Co’s Distributing, Cost U Less, Merchant’s Market, Plaza Extra, Wala Ice Factory and West Indies Co. 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 Josiah James 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 Laura Lunday, Trevis Baker, Tim McKague, Jessica Joye and the other Fintrac volunteers. Also, we thank Attorney Archie Jennings, Vernon Araujo, Marcella Sadler, Mr. Battiste and Pastor Othniel Vanterpool, as well as our past scholarship recipients, Devon Williams, Khallid Mills and Andrea Dorsey. Special thanks to Ms. Shournaugh McWeeney, the former head of Montessori School and the other volunteers who helped with the registration and distribution of tee shirts.
The program would not have been possible without the assistance of Julian Jackson, Jr. who helped with the music and sound system and Terrence “Terry T.” Thomas, our Master of Ceremonies, who also walked the event with his wife, Madeline, before assuming his duties. Also, the start of the event would not have been as well-done without the Addelita Cancryn Dynamic Innovations Drum Line and Joel Gifft signaling the start with the Shofar. Also, thanks to Rose Maduro for the face painting. Edgar (Baker) Phillip helped us by setting up the tents for the volunteers and Lew Henley with the portable toilet. Thanks also, to Jim Latham for the map of the course. Jamaal Carroll and Adam Simmons were instrumental with the publicity, and with Facebook and Twitter.
We wish to congratulate the trophy winners in our 9 different age categories for male and females and our overall winners Shane DeGannes, the top male runner, and Ruth Anne David, 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 the Jr. Firefighters, the community organization with the most participants, and Fintrac, the runner up. Special mention is given to Montessori School which placed third for the most participants among schools. Our youngest participant was K’Mar King, 15 mos. old and our oldest participant was Bill Delone, 67.
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.
Celia A. Carroll, president
Jason Carroll Memorial Fund Inc./ Mothers Against Guns Inc.
