Our mission for the Westerhall Community Group Inc., is to assist and build a Resilient Westerhall by participating and collaborating with all stakeholders through programs and projects, such as philanthropy, charity, education, health, and sports, which will enhance the quality of life for the people of Westerhall with emphasis on senior citizens and school-age children.
Those were the words of Simon Samuel, President of the Westerhall Community Group Inc., who explained the mission of the non-profit organisation during the official launch at the Westerhall Secondary School in the virgin parish of St. David last weekend.
The group, which comprises several members locally, and in the Canadian and United States diaspora, was formed following the loss of Michael Wise also known as “Quale” and “Radio,” in November 2020, who Samuel said, was “one of the most loved and caring individuals in the Westerhall Community.”
“After viewing his funeral on Facebook, and the way the community came together to give him a fitting send-off that gave us the initiative to take that step to bring up the community together,” recalled Samuel, who currently resides in Canada.
The group has since been engaged in several initiatives to the benefit of the community including the distribution of food baskets to various families, visiting the sick, and gifting sympathy cards to those who lost loved ones, to name a few.
The Westerhall Community Group Inc. was officially registered as a non-profit organisation in 2022.
“As a group, we have big plans to build our community,” Samuel told those gathered to commemorate the official launch on Saturday.
It was indeed a historic event for the virgin parish whose parliamentary representative is also the Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell.
According to Samuel, in February the group outlined some of its plans and concerns during a virtual meeting with the Prime Minister who was the guest speaker at the launch.
The 45-year old Grenadian leader lauded the initiative, which he said falls in line with his government’s transformation agenda, and serves as an example to be emulated in communities across the tri-island state.
“What is happening here is precisely what we need in our communities, a group of like-minded individuals who are eager to work hard to dedicate their time, effort, and expertise through a show of love and passion for their neighbours because that is really what this is about, helping others,” PM Mitchell remarked.
The Prime Minister implored citizens to do their part to ensure the development and sustainability of their communities.
“The country does not belong to the Government – it belongs to the citizens… and so, it is important for us to reclaim our neighbourhoods. Too often, we stand back and assume that the community would get better by government action but I can assure you that our communities cannot get better by government action alone,” he told the gathering.
“While the government serves as the custodian of public welfare ….. and we are entrusted with the responsibility of guiding the nation towards progress, our ability to do so, our influence, can only go so far,,” he said.
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell went on to say: “…This is why we need community groups like yours to be operational, functioning, and partnering with the government.”
The Congress leader also spoke about the importance of community groups in helping to drive community development.
“So, today you are a grassroots embodiment of the aspirations, needs, and talents of the people. You possess an intimate understanding of Westerhall, you understand the challenges of the people that you represent, and you have the ability to bridge the gap between government and the people to ensure that we can better serve the community, and that development initiatives are targeted specific, and we can measure whether or not we are making progress,” PM Mitchell told the members of the Westerhall Community Group Inc.