Virgin Islands seek Maria aid
Like the rest St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the University of the Virgin Islands RTPark was hit hard, but the economic development site is doing the neighborly thing — pushing an appeal for donations to aid island residents.
Despite suffering “significant exterior and interior damage” from Hurricane Maria last month, RTPark is supporting the Fund for the Virgin Islands, set up by the nonprofit Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, in collaboration with Stacey Plaskett, the USVI delegate to Congress.
Monetary donations are being sought to purchase water, food supplies, cleanup supplies, batteries, lanterns, diapers, baby formula, tarpaulins and other items.
“The devastation wreaked by Hurricanes Irma and Maria provides a unique opportunity for the U.S. Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean region to build capacity and undertake a major program in smart, green resilient technology,” said RTPark executive director Gillian Marcelle.
To support the effort, visit www.rtpark-usviappeal.com
Last week, the Daily News’ Confidential broke news that Jamaica-born singer/model/actress Grace Jones was broken-hearted over the death of her mother, Marjorie Jones, last Monday.
According to Confidential, the singer kept a bedside vigil in Los Angeles with her mother, who suffered stroke in September.
Jones’ mother was overseer and evangelist at the Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ in Syracuse, which was founded by her late husband, Bishop Robert Winston Jones, according to syracuse.com, website of the Post-Standard newspaper. An intimate reading of the book “Mama’s Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation” and a discussion with its author, Edwidge Danticat, will be held today in Manhattan, benefitting the Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees advocacy group.
All proceeds from the event — at Families For Freedom, 35 W. 31st St., Suite 702, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. — will aid HWHR's Adult Literacy/Survival English sessions, immigrant and workers’ rights workshops and other programs supporting refugees, detainees and asylum seekers.
Tickets are $100 and the donation includes a signed copy of “Mama’s Nightingale.” Visit bit.ly/hwhrbenefit and www.haitianrefugees.org for more on Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees.
The story of pioneering Trinidad immigrant Rufus Gorin, dubbed the “Father of Brooklyn Carnival” for connecting the Caribbean carnival in the 1920s in Harlem and today’s celebrations in Brooklyn — is available in the digital and print versions of the latest edition of Everybody’s Caribbean Magazine.
The issue also includes Everybody’s 2017 Global Caribbean Calendar, which features all major Caribbean national holidays, festivals and other celebrations. To get the magazine, visit www.everybodysmag.com.
You can get the “Power” online — the music and other features of 104.3 Power FM from Linden, Guyana.
Streaming live from the MacKenzie community of Linden (Guyana’s second largest city), 104.3 Power FM to listeners in that area and beyond.
The radio station — run by owner Haslyn Graham and his staff — broadcasts entertainment, extensive local news, education information, oldies, Sunday Morning Jazz and other programming. Visit www.1043powerfmguyana.com, send email to 104.3powerfm@gmail.com and follow the station on Facebook.