BRINGING BACK THE ‘Y’: From left to right: Mrs. Karon Pinder-Johnson; Executive Director of the YMCA; Ms. Betty Bethel, General Manager of Business Development for The Ministry of Tourism; Mr. Ian Rolle, President of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited making the cheque presentation to Mr. Sean McShane, Director of Basketball Traveler’s; Mrs. Ginger Moxey, Vice President of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited, Mrs. Geneva Rutherford, Director of Training for the GBPA Group; Mrs. Kelley Albury, President of The Grand Bahama Basketball Association and Mr. Lawrence Hepburn, President of The Bahamas Basketball Association. Photos: Derek Carroll
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Freeport,
Grand Bahama - In keeping with its new vision “To better the lives of
the Grand Bahama community, and by extension, The Bahamas through the
unique features offered by our island”, The Grand Bahama Port
Authority, Limited announced in a press conference today their
agreement to partner with the YMCA and Basketball Travelers, Inc. by
donating $15,000.00 towards the refurbishment of the YMCA’s basketball
court floor. Mr. Ian Rolle, President of The Grand Bahama Port
Authority, Limited, Mrs. Ginger Moxey, Vice President and Director of
Training Mrs. Geneva Rutherford, were on hand for the presentation.
Mrs.
Rutherford noted that the ‘Y’ as it is affectionately known, has a vast
history behind it. “Let me begin by saying that every city needs a
Y.M.C.A. And so it was that just 10 years after the founding of
Freeport,
the planners of this city saw fit to establish our Y.M.C.A. They saw
the need for a recreational facility which was to be used by all ages
for all types of sporting and other activities held by schools, civic
organizations, churches and youth groups on the
Island of
Grand Bahama.” She explained.
“In
fact, the very reason we are here today, is that the Basketball
Travelers Inc. started bringing their annual ‘Junkanoo Jam’ Basketball
Tournament every November since 2003, to the Y.M.C.A. Due to the
devastation caused by the Hurricanes of 2004 & 2005 which destroyed
the ‘Y’, they were unable to hold tournaments at this site. After
the hurricanes, Sir Jack Hayward, Patron of the ‘Y’ made a donation of
$40,000.00 toward the rebuilding effort. However, it has been a slow
process to bring the Y.M.C.A. and its facilities back to full use by
the community. Indeed, their willingness to spear-head the renovations
of the new basketball court for the gym is highly commendable, and, we
at The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Ltd. And Group Companies
appreciate this kind gesture and we are very happy to partner with
Basketball Travelers on such a significant project” stated Mrs.
Rutherford.
GBPA DONATES TO THE YMCA: From left to right: Mrs. Karon Pinder-Johnson, Executive Director of the YMCA; Ms. Betty Bethel, General Manager of Business Development for The Ministry of Tourism; Mrs. Ginger Moxey, Vice President of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited; Mr. Ian Rolle, President of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited; Mrs. Geneva Rutherford, Director of Training for the GBPA Group; Sean McShane, Director of Basketball Traveler’s and Mr. Lawrence Hepburn, President of The Bahamas Basketball Association.
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Sean
McShane, Junkanoo Jam's tournament director explained. "We are excited
to work with the Grand Bahama Port Authority to help give something
back to the Bahamian community.” The tournament continues to attract
elite teams and this will be good for the future of the Junkanoo Jam as
well as
Bahamas basketball!"
The
court is valued at approximately $40,000 and is made with durable first
rate materials created by SportCourt. Since 2003, Basketball Travelers,
Inc. The Ministry of Tourism, and President Lawrence Hepburn of The
Bahamas Basketball Federation have worked together to produce the
Junkanoo Jam tournament, one of the prestigious women's events in NCAA
DI college basketball. When the YMCA sustained major hurricane damage,
Basketball Travelers, Inc. approached the YMCA with an idea to assist.
Installation of the court will commence on April 27th and is schedule
to be completed May 1st.
NCAA Junkanoo Jam Tournament
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Read a related Freeport News article by Andrew Coakley
