Stratians for Strat Donate Banners for St Patrick’s Week Celebrations

Montserratians in the Diaspora continue to give back. This time, Diaspora organisation, Stratians For Strat, will be donating three banners for the upcoming St Patrick’s Week celebrations to take place from March 10th through to March 17th, 2014.

The banners will be displayed prominently at the John Osborne Airport, Little Bay Port, and at the main event location welcoming people to the weeklong St Patrick’s celebration in Salem.

Stratians for Strat will also be supporting local business, having commissioned Everton "Pops’ Morris to create the banners. All funds for the banners were raised by donations from Montserratians, and friends of Montserratians in the Diaspora during a major fundraising drive in 2013 for the purchase of a much-needed cardiac monitor for Glendon Hospital. That effort was an overwhelming success and resulted in the goal being met and surpassed within 11 days. After Indiegogo fees a total of US$6,670.80 was raised.

There is now US$3011.86 remaining after the purchase and delivery of the medical equipment to the Glendon Hospital. See statement of accounts below.

It was decided that the celebration of Montserrat’s cultural heritage was another perfect avenue to utilise some of the remaining funds, which are there for the sole purpose of assisting projects on Montserrat.

Who Are Stratians for Strat?
A small core of Montserratians living abroad to include the core of Jasmine Martin, Jeevan Robinson, Iris Lake, Elrose Lindsey and Theo Semper created and spearhead the efforts of Stratians for Strat. They came together because they shared a common goal. They identified a need and created the avenue for citizens to fill that need. They have vowed to continue to contribute to the land of their birth and address needs as they are identified. This banner contribution is the second contribution from that effort.

St Patrick’s Festival Celebrations
St Patrick’s Festival is an annual celebration of Montserrat’s cultural heritage. It has become the second most popular festival behind the Christmas Festival that takes place in December. St. Patrick’s Festival is also a time when Montserratians and visitors affirm the island’s heritage as a mix of cultures, mainly from Ireland and Africa.

This year, visitors and residents can look forward to the revival of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and there will be everything from the African Music Festival, Twenty20 Cricket Series, St. Patrick’s Day Church Service, Slave Feast, Village Fest, Freedom Hike, Freedom Run and Walk, Junior Calypso, Clash of the Bands, St. Patrick’s Day Dinner, and Montserrat Rhythm Night.

Look out for the Stratians for Strat banners flying over these events. For updates and additional information on the Festival go to www.visitmontserrat.com or www.montserratfestival.com

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Theo Semper is an Associate Editor with MNI Alive: Global Caribbean Media