The Make it Happen Foundation continues its philanthropic efforts as ten (10) fire and police stations received top-of-the-line commercial grade gym and fitness equipment to support the welfare of our service men and women. The equipment was divided equally between the fire service and police, bringing the number of stations gifted gyms by the Make it Happen Foundation to date to fourteen (14), including the Police Training School located at La Toc.
Commissioner of Police Severin Moncherry thanked the Make it Happen Foundation on behalf of the police and fire service for the donation, stating his gratitude for the items and announced that the donation will help bolster fitness plans for the force in 2021.
“In these times, we have seen the closure of gyms, however, with this donation we now have our own equipment granting our officers 24/7 access to a proper gym to help realize health and fitness goals,” said the Commissioner of Police at the handing over ceremony on Thursday 10th December, 2020. He continued, “This coming January we want to have a biggest loser competition, one will be weighed at the beginning of the program and after a month the officer who has lost the most weight will win a prize. All this is in an effort to keep members fit and ready for duty and again, we thank the Foundation sincerely for making it happen for us.”
Described as “equipment to last a lifetime” is cumulatively worth $220,000 and represents the largest one-time donation the Foundation has ever made. The items consist of top of the line brand Precor elliptical machines and total body gyms with accessories to enable complete body workouts by the officers.
Also present at the handover ceremony was Assistant Commissioner of Police Milton Desir, Acting Deputy Chief of the Saint Lucia Fire Service David Antoine and members of the board of the Make it Happen Foundation; Raquel Du Boulay- Chastanet, Mrs. Martine Johnson, Mrs Karen Du Boulay-Hunte and Inspector Lucius Lake.
“COVID-19 has shown us all how invaluable our frontline workers are,” noted the founding director of the Foundation, Mrs. Raquel Du Boulay-Chastanet. She continued, “Physical fitness is a critical attribute for our fire and police officers in particular so we are very pleased that we were able to have raised sufficient funds from the proceeds of last year’s Officers’ Ball to purchase and donate these 20 items of gym equipment. Although this donation is made by our Foundation, it represents the support for you all from the 500 patrons of the last Ball as well as many companies from the business sector who pledged their support. Your work and sacrifices are valued by many in our island and our ability to raise the large sum of money to purchase this equipment is proof of that”.
Since its inception in 2016, the Foundation has held several charitable events with gala evenings, a musical concert and tea parties, bringing corporate society together for several worthy causes. “The Officers’ Ball”, “Tea and Testimony” and the recently held “4th Annual Officers’ Ball & Hot Couture Fashion Show” saw overwhelming support, allowing the Foundation to expand its reach and provide even more support to our service men and women.
Mrs. Du Boulay-Chastanet took the opportunity to thank her fellow directors for their support and again thanked all the fire and police officers of Saint Lucia for their hard work and many sacrifices and wished them all a Merry Christmas and a happy new year.
