32 more benefit from RHTY&SC, MS/BCB Basil Butcher Trust Fund

— 20 clubs receive score books, detergents donated to public institutions

Another thirty-two under-13 and under-15 cricketers were last week beneficiaries of cricket gear as the ten cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club MS, with support of the Berbice Cricket Board, continued their work under the Basil Butcher Trust Fund.

The cricketers were drawn from Upper Corentyne, Central/Lower Corentyne, and New Amsterdam, and each player received an item of cricket gear. What was distributed included batting pads, batting gloves, wicket keeping pads and gloves, and batting helmets.
BCB President and RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster has said a total of 67 cricketers have so far benefited under the fund, while another 20 would benefit shortly. Foster explained that the joint team agreed to assist 87 cricketers in total, as on 3rd September Mr Butcher would have celebrated his 87th birthday, had he been alive. The legendary West Indies middle order batsman died in the United States last December after a prolonged illness.
Foster has urged the young cricketers to take care of the donated gear, and to work hard if they want to fulfill their dream of one day wearing the maroon cap, like Butcher did.
He recalled that the 44-Test veteran had told him he had achieved success through sheer hard work, personal sacrifice, and dedication. Foster said it is okay to dream, but dreams become reality only if backed by hard work.
The BCB also took opportunity to blast the attitude of some cricket club administrators in Berbice towards fulfilling their duties. He noted that the county has no place for laziness, indifference, or carefree attitudes, and urged non performing club officials to step aside so that others can be given a chance to step up.
Foster noted that many persons take up positions in organisations only for the glory, to add to their CV, or to assist them to get visas. He urged clubs to get rid of such persons.
The next set of cricket gear would be shared out in Butcher’s adopted hometown of Linden, along with bicycles. Foster also said that school bags would shortly be shared out under the fund.
The RHTY&SC and the BCB last week donated more than 100 litres of cleaning detergents to several public institutions, including the Port Mourant Public Hospital, Rose Hall Town Council, Rose Hall Post Office, Rose Hall Police Outpost and the Rose Hall Fire Station.

The fund has also distributed a total of 940 food hampers out of a projected 1000 to families across the county. Distribution of medical supplies would also be done shortly to children’s homes, while the fund would also sponsor this year’s edition of the Gregory Gaskin Memorial Region Six Sports Award programme. The management of the RHTY&SC would like to express gratitude to the donors who contributed towards the latest distribution of gear. These include Dr Vincent Adams, David Yhann, Len Craft, Esuan Crandon, Colin Elcock, Leyland Grant, Harry Dass Ghaness, Ramesh Sunich Pearl Arokium, Farfan and Mendes Ltd, Food for the Poor, Mike’s Pharmacy, Mr Jones, Persaud’s Funeral Home, Rodwell Jagmohan, Chandra Sohan, Forde’s Snackette, Surindradat Beharry, ABS Services, Louise Nero, Massy Motors and Farook Khan.
The ten cricket teams of the RHTY&SC,MS, are the Poonai Pharmacy Under-12, Under-13, Farfan and Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division, Pepsi under-19 and Intermediate, Metro Female and Namilco Under-21 and First Division teams.