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We promised a fantastic show and what an all day show it was at the 3rd Annual Linden Fund Breakfast Social in Brooklyn on Saturday, January 24th!! And what a superb job by the Organizing Committee, led by the Linden Fund’s Vice Chairman, Keith Semple and the Projects Coordinator, Gordon Alleyne!. The level of energy and excitement was palpable as the audience responded enthusiastically to the acts that comprised the Cultural Show – a highlight of the event. It was unanimous that the ‘Granny’ skit – played by Comedian Susan Kennedy, a member of the SistaSoul Production Company, was a knock-out!! There were calls for her to return next year to dish out her brand of advice and witticism that had the audience in stitches and her ‘miraculous’ recovery from aches and pains to be able to ‘bogle’ and ‘wine down’ to calypso had folks in stitches!
The proceedings were opened by our own Pastor Michael Clarke, who called for blessings on the event and for guidance for the entire leadership of the LFU. And it seems the event was blessed indeed as over 400 Lindeners and friends came out to support this annual event that has become a must-attend on the social calendar.
LFU Chairman Dr. Vincent Adams gave opening remarks, speaking of the value of the organization and the Breakfast event as reflecting a feeling among all of being a home-away-from-home for this historically closely knit Linden family. He also expressed the need and urgency to make it our turn to give back to this wonderful community that has been so generous to our lives and which has given us the grounding and molded us into what we all are today. Dr. Adams repeated two of his favorite quotes: “When you eat your fruits, please remember who planted the seed” and “From what we get, we make a living; what we give however, makes a life”.
Co-hosts of the event, George Parris, Vice Chairman of the NY Chapter and Paula Walcott-Quintin, current Public Relations Officer and former Secretary of the LFU Board, kept the program flowing to the audience’s delight. Youths were well represented as Donette Adams, Chairperson of the Young Adult Chapter of the Fund unveiled its Nursery School backpack project, a part of the Fund’s Town Week 2009 initiatives. The Young Adult Chapter also sponsored a raffle, face painting and distributed coloring books and crayons to keep the very young occupied.
The energy and the enthusiasm of the youths were a definite informal ‘theme’ of the day’s event, as a series of young people performed on stage to great encouragement from the audience. Seven year old Davion Lee, son of LFU’s Daphne Joseph-Lee and Michael Lee, sounded like a seasoned performer drumming to Kurt Franklin’s inspirational piece “Gonna Be a Lovely Day”. And the ‘Alert Dancers’, a group of teenagers, brought delightful energy to the stage with their super-charged, hip hop moves.
Thanks to the production skills of Linda Felix-Johnson, President and CEO of SistaSoul Productions and Secretary of the LFU Board, the crowd was treated to poems taken from the collection our own Carmen Subryan’s “Black Water Women” collection, performed by Natasha Flores and Dionne Dixon, who later performed “Walkbout” by famed Jamaican poet and performer Louise Bennett. MAD – “Marriage After Death’, a short skit performed by the SistaSoul Production cast, had the audience in stitches.
The sounds of DJ Michael Stephenson livened up the entire event. A classic waltz was performed by Clement and Marsha and that added a touch of elegance to a great cultural show. The quality of the show was raised to another level with the live sounds of Robin Campos – songstress and performer “Simply Robin’, who got the young kids in on her act and who also performed an on-the-spot- tribute in song to President Barack Obama!! Donna Sandy and the Truth Center Dancers raised the roof and lifted the spirit in praise and worship.
We’d like to thank the several constituent organizations in service to Linden that were represented at the event, including the Mackenzie High School Old Students Organization, the Multilateral School Alumni, Trade School Alumni, Association of Guyanese Wives, and the Basketball and Soccer Associations.
In addition, great thanks to sponsors Linda’s Restaurant and Lynmine Restaurant for their donations of food. Several prizes were handed out to an enthusiastic crown, including donations from Salon Secrets and Avon Inc. And while we were generous in handing out door prizes and gifts to the audience, we also asked of the audience and we blessedly received, in the form close to 20 new members who signed up on the spot – thanks to the special incentive drive of Membership Co-Chairs Dawn Adams and Charmaine Critchlow. Thank you for believing in the Fund and its mission of service to our hometown Linden.
A great time was had by all at this 3rd annual Breakfast Social and the Fund looks forward to seeing you all again next year! View Photo Gallery of Event
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