The Guyana Committee of Services (GCS) continues to extend a lending hand in the world of sport, helping local sportsmen and women to realise their dreams.
In other instances, the GCS has come to the rescue of athletes who find themselves in life-or-death situations. This was the case with Guyanese boxer Clive Atwell back in 2016, when the pugilist was in need of 5 million dollars to undergo a very important brain surgery. The GCS gathered its troops and advocated Atwell’s cause through awareness and fundraising activities in order to contribute significantly to the surgery.
Years later, the GCS continues to wear its heart on its sleeve, hosting training camps in Linden and Berbice, or donating sporting equipment as in the case of Bartica. Its most recent venture was making donations to a current and a former athlete.
Alisha Fortune and William Harris are flanked by Guyana Committee of Services members Linden Jones, Leslie Black, Joseph Ramkumar and Lorrie Ann Adams
“We know that Government is there. We know that other organisations are there as well, but we decided that more needs to be done, and we wanted to do our little part,” GCS member Linden ‘Jumbie’ Jones told a small gathering on Thursday morning.
Longstanding athlete Alisha Fortune is hoping to jet off to Torun, Poland to participate in the 8th World Masters Athletics Championships Indoor from March 24-30. While sportsmen and women from in excess of 100 countries will be competing, Fortune has had Masters successes in the past, copping triple gold in 2015 and one gold and two silvers last year. However, the Guyanese sportswoman cannot become the first to participate in the indoor version of the tournament unless she achieves her $800,000 goal, which will cover travel and accommodation. Fortune is yet to accumulate $500,000 of her total in order to leave for the United States on March 17, where she is expected to receive her visa to travel to Poland.
On a tight deadline, Fortune has expressed heartfelt gratitude to the GCS for its timely contribution.
“I’m preparing to go out there and make my country proud,” she declared, “and I’m very thankful,” she added.
Veteran amputee athlete William Harris has a number of marathon wins under his belt. However, a hit some years ago has taken a toll on his sight, affecting his right eye. The veteran athlete, who will be travelling to Trinidad and Tobago to undergo surgery, has already received some $1 million from the Government of Guyana, and is short of his total by just $200,000. Harris, too, expressed his gratitude to the Guyana Committee of Services.
“I’d like to say thanks to the organization for doing their best. They always do,” Harris said.
The GCS also took the time to recognise member Leslie Black, who was recently bestowed the honour of receiving a national award.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Committee of Services is currently running a raffle which will see the winner receiving $1 million. The raffle is priced at $500 a chance, and will be drawn on August 31. As explained by Jones, the proceeds would go towards assisting the committee to carry out its mandate.
“Because it is through these events that we are planning, we are able to raise funds,” Jones said.
