New Category : Community/Charity

Heather Hodgson-Kosoy's "Screwball Comedy" coming to Atlantis Theater in April to benefit four local charities

Thu, Mar 28th 2024, 12:28 PM

Screwball Comedy, a play written by Norm Foster, produced by Heather Hodgson Kosoy and starring Hodgson Kosoy along with well known local actor D. Sean Nottage, will open in April promising laughs for theater-goers and a financial boost for four local causes.

Ranfurly Homes for Children will join Bahamas Feeding Network, Bahamas National Trust (BNT), and Lend a Hand Bahamas as beneficiaries with all net proceeds going to the four charities. The nine-night event will run April 11-14 and 16-20 at the Atlantis Theater, Paradise Island.

Screwball Comedy is Hodgson-Kosoy's third production. Last year's Comedy for a Cause raised $90,000, with the Bahamas Feeding Network, Bahamas National Trust and Lend A Hand Bahamas each receiving $30,000.

Screwball Comedy takes the humor one hilarious step further with belly laughs in almost every line of the comedic journey and gutsy narrative of an ambitious, tough young woman in the 1930's planning to catapult her life from perfume salesperson to renowned reporter. Pitted against the man considered the gold standard of journalism to get to the bottom of a news story, the unlikely competitors' uproarious banter is seasoned with her salvos while he swallows gulps of wine and pride.

The play by Foster, considered Canada's most produced playwright, also stars Maria Dinn and Stephen Sparks who returns after wowing audiences with his performance in The Long Weekend last year.

For Hodgson-Kosoy, acting, producing and giving back go hand-in-hand.

"I am so fortunate in life, being able to use my skills on stage to bring laughter to audiences and at the same time, in some small way, to bring relief to those in need," says Hodgson-Kosoy. "In both instances they make life a little brighter whether in a theater chuckling or at the receiving end of a food distribution."

For first-time beneficiary Ranfurly Homes for Children, the donation will help to fill a gap the home faces monthly to cover food and electricity costs. Some 80 percent of Ranfurly's operating revenue comes from the local community.

"We are absolutely delighted and honoured to be a part of this. It's wonderful that they are able to raise money and give to local charities," said Joey Premock, president of the homes on Mackey Street that have served as a safe haven for over 60 years and are currently home to 23 boys and girls ages 12-17. Ranfurly is completing a long-awaited transition home for those who have nowhere to stay and no family to turn to once they leave high school and are no longer able to stay at the place they have called home for their teen years.

Other recipients expressed similar appreciation.

"Last year's event was such a treat," said Director of Lend a Hand Bahamas Shelagh Pritchard.

"We were so appreciative of the efforts and proceeds. I and many others are looking forward to enjoying a fun evening filled with laughter."

The Bahamas National Trust's Executive Director Lakeshia Anderson also expressed "heartfelt thanks and appreciation for again selecting BNT as one of the charitable organizations." And Bahamas Feeding Network's Executive Director Nicolette Archer pledged the volunteer-led organization's complete support, describing conditions post-Covid as "more challenging than ever before with hunger continuing at a pace faster than donations can match despite rising employment figures. We are extremely grateful for Sterling's continuing support as we face challenges and try to stretch our food parcels more every month."

Sterling Global Financial, Sterling Hurricane Hole, Island Site Development and 2Hoops Productions return as Platinum, Gold and Silver sponsors.

Tickets for the showing are now available for purchase online at atlantisbahamas.com/events or you can call 363-6601. For group rates, email box.office@atlantisparadise.com or visit the Atlantis Box Office located in the Convention Center. Ticket prices range from $42.90 - $82.50 (prices include VAT). https://www.atlantisbahamas.com/events/screwball-comedy

Screwball Comedy, a play written by Norm Foster, produced by Heather Hodgson Kosoy and starring Hodgson Kosoy along with well known local actor D. Sean Nottage, will open in April promising laughs for theater-goers and a financial boost for four local causes. Ranfurly Homes for Children will join Bahamas Feeding Network, Bahamas National Trust (BNT), and Lend a Hand Bahamas as beneficiaries with all net proceeds going to the four charities. The nine-night event will run April 11-14 and 16-20 at the Atlantis Theater, Paradise Island. Screwball Comedy is Hodgson-Kosoy's third production. Last year's Comedy for a Cause raised $90,000, with the Bahamas Feeding Network, Bahamas National Trust and Lend A Hand Bahamas each receiving $30,000. Screwball Comedy takes the humor one hilarious step further with belly laughs in almost every line of the comedic journey and gutsy narrative of an ambitious, tough young woman in the 1930's planning to catapult her life from perfume salesperson to renowned reporter. Pitted against the man considered the gold standard of journalism to get to the bottom of a news story, the unlikely competitors' uproarious banter is seasoned with her salvos while he swallows gulps of wine and pride. The play by Foster, considered Canada's most produced playwright, also stars Maria Dinn and Stephen Sparks who returns after wowing audiences with his performance in The Long Weekend last year. For Hodgson-Kosoy, acting, producing and giving back go hand-in-hand. "I am so fortunate in life, being able to use my skills on stage to bring laughter to audiences and at the same time, in some small way, to bring relief to those in need," says Hodgson-Kosoy. "In both instances they make life a little brighter whether in a theater chuckling or at the receiving end of a food distribution." For first-time beneficiary Ranfurly Homes for Children, the donation will help to fill a gap the home faces monthly to cover food and electricity costs. Some 80 percent of Ranfurly's operating revenue comes from the local community. "We are absolutely delighted and honoured to be a part of this. It's wonderful that they are able to raise money and give to local charities," said Joey Premock, president of the homes on Mackey Street that have served as a safe haven for over 60 years and are currently home to 23 boys and girls ages 12-17. Ranfurly is completing a long-awaited transition home for those who have nowhere to stay and no family to turn to once they leave high school and are no longer able to stay at the place they have called home for their teen years. Other recipients expressed similar appreciation. "Last year's event was such a treat," said Director of Lend a Hand Bahamas Shelagh Pritchard. "We were so appreciative of the efforts and proceeds. I and many others are looking forward to enjoying a fun evening filled with laughter." The Bahamas National Trust's Executive Director Lakeshia Anderson also expressed "heartfelt thanks and appreciation for again selecting BNT as one of the charitable organizations." And Bahamas Feeding Network's Executive Director Nicolette Archer pledged the volunteer-led organization's complete support, describing conditions post-Covid as "more challenging than ever before with hunger continuing at a pace faster than donations can match despite rising employment figures. We are extremely grateful for Sterling's continuing support as we face challenges and try to stretch our food parcels more every month." Sterling Global Financial, Sterling Hurricane Hole, Island Site Development and 2Hoops Productions return as Platinum, Gold and Silver sponsors. Tickets for the showing are now available for purchase online at atlantisbahamas.com/events or you can call 363-6601. For group rates, email box.office@atlantisparadise.com or visit the Atlantis Box Office located in the Convention Center. Ticket prices range from $42.90 - $82.50 (prices include VAT). https://www.atlantisbahamas.com/events/screwball-comedy

UB Art and Music Students to Benefit from a $100K Scholarship Award Established by Cordell Broadus Jr. and the Tezos Foundation

Mon, Mar 11th 2024, 12:52 PM

Nearly one year ago, Cordell Broadus, son of legendary American rapper Snoop Dogg, stood before hundreds of University of The Bahamas (UB) freshmen and declared his interest in financially supporting the talented artists and musicians among them. Some seven months later, Mr. Broadus made good on that promise by generously donating $100,000 to the University to support the creative arts at UB. 

On Thursday, 7th March, UB executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mr. Broadus a.k.a “Champ Medici” and the Tezos Foundation in the RBC Auditorium of the Franklyn Wilson Graduate Centre for the establishment of the Champ Medici Arts Fund (CMAF) Scholarship Award. The CMAF is a $1 million philanthropic effort in partnership with the Tezos Foundation to support emerging and legacy musicians and artists across the globe who are seeking to build and create new creative and cultural works on the Tezos blockchain.

A two-part gift, the CMAF Scholarship will donate a monetary prize to be allocated to UB students participating in a competition which will showcase their non-fungible tokens (NFT) projects. The CMAF and the Tezos Foundation will offer educational tutorials, materials and guidance on how to use the Tezos blockchain to mint, market and sell their works. 

The second part of the gift will be used to purchase the technology and relevant equipment and supplies for the students so that they can further pursue digital art and music initiatives within the University’s curriculum and in the future.

“This just really came from the bottom of my heart,” said Mr. Broadus. “My first time outside of America was to The Bahamas with my grandma and my great-grandma, who are both no longer here. So, just coming down here has always been inspiring, obviously beautiful, as the country has a very rich culture. You guys have intelligent students, and I just wanted to be representative and show that you don’t have to play sports and make music to become successful, but you can have ownership and your own narrative and do things you want to do. So, that’s what I’m trying to strive to do.”

UB President Janyne Hodder said the University is extremely grateful for the kind gesture, which came at a time when UB is seeking to better itself and foster a culture of continuous improvement in academia via the pursuit of local and international accreditation, as well as celebrate 50 years of continuous operations in service to the nation. The $100K gift by CMAF and the Tezos Foundation will only augment those pursuits. 

“We are grateful for the vision of those at Champ Medici Arts Fund and the Tezos Foundation, Mr. Cordell Broadus and others, for making this investment in students of University of The Bahamas and for recognizing the potential of our talented students,” said President Hodder in her remarks. 

Mr. Broadus had an opportunity to speak to students at UB’s 2023 Fall Freshman Orientation, where he indicated: “We also have a fund where we give back money to minority artists who create music, who create art, and at some point, I would like to pick one of you guys to donate that money to in this room, whoever is a talented artist and a talented musician, let me know.”

Fast-forward to Thursday’s MOU signing, Dr. Douglas Barkey, Dean of UB’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts, praised Mr. Broadus for being a man of his word in partnering with the University. 

“We get a lot of visitors here, we see quite a few because of who we are and where we are, and we’re happy to receive them,” said Dr. Barkey. “They are all inspired by the creativity they see among our students and faculty, our young musicians, emerging artists, and they leave with the intention to help out in some way. We’re used to not hearing back. But that is not the case today. The Champ Medici Foundation for the Arts and the Tezos Foundation have come together to truly give back to the Bahamian community of emerging creative professionals in a very innovative manner through this gift.” 

Mr. Dino Hernandez, UB’s Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Affairs, praised the new partnership for granting talented artists at UB the opportunity unlock their creative musical and artistic talents. 

“We truly appreciate the partnership with CMAF and Tezos Foundation for the establishment of this $100,000 award, which I’m sure Dean of Liberal and Fine Arts Douglas Barkey and the exceptional music faculty are deeply appreciative of,” said VP Hernandez. “Providing our students with access to state-of-the-art digital equipment, educational tutorials, and mentorship, also will go a long way in teaching and training our students, many of whom are fantastic musicians and artists.” 

Nearly one year ago, Cordell Broadus, son of legendary American rapper Snoop Dogg, stood before hundreds of University of The Bahamas (UB) freshmen and declared his interest in financially supporting the talented artists and musicians among them. Some seven months later, Mr. Broadus made good on that promise by generously donating $100,000 to the University to support the creative arts at UB.  On Thursday, 7th March, UB executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mr. Broadus a.k.a “Champ Medici” and the Tezos Foundation in the RBC Auditorium of the Franklyn Wilson Graduate Centre for the establishment of the Champ Medici Arts Fund (CMAF) Scholarship Award. The CMAF is a $1 million philanthropic effort in partnership with the Tezos Foundation to support emerging and legacy musicians and artists across the globe who are seeking to build and create new creative and cultural works on the Tezos blockchain. A two-part gift, the CMAF Scholarship will donate a monetary prize to be allocated to UB students participating in a competition which will showcase their non-fungible tokens (NFT) projects. The CMAF and the Tezos Foundation will offer educational tutorials, materials and guidance on how to use the Tezos blockchain to mint, market and sell their works.  The second part of the gift will be used to purchase the technology and relevant equipment and supplies for the students so that they can further pursue digital art and music initiatives within the University’s curriculum and in the future. “This just really came from the bottom of my heart,” said Mr. Broadus. “My first time outside of America was to The Bahamas with my grandma and my great-grandma, who are both no longer here. So, just coming down here has always been inspiring, obviously beautiful, as the country has a very rich culture. You guys have intelligent students, and I just wanted to be representative and show that you don’t have to play sports and make music to become successful, but you can have ownership and your own narrative and do things you want to do. So, that’s what I’m trying to strive to do.” UB President Janyne Hodder said the University is extremely grateful for the kind gesture, which came at a time when UB is seeking to better itself and foster a culture of continuous improvement in academia via the pursuit of local and international accreditation, as well as celebrate 50 years of continuous operations in service to the nation. The $100K gift by CMAF and the Tezos Foundation will only augment those pursuits.  “We are grateful for the vision of those at Champ Medici Arts Fund and the Tezos Foundation, Mr. Cordell Broadus and others, for making this investment in students of University of The Bahamas and for recognizing the potential of our talented students,” said President Hodder in her remarks.  Mr. Broadus had an opportunity to speak to students at UB’s 2023 Fall Freshman Orientation, where he indicated: “We also have a fund where we give back money to minority artists who create music, who create art, and at some point, I would like to pick one of you guys to donate that money to in this room, whoever is a talented artist and a talented musician, let me know.” Fast-forward to Thursday’s MOU signing, Dr. Douglas Barkey, Dean of UB’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts, praised Mr. Broadus for being a man of his word in partnering with the University.  “We get a lot of visitors here, we see quite a few because of who we are and where we are, and we’re happy to receive them,” said Dr. Barkey. “They are all inspired by the creativity they see among our students and faculty, our young musicians, emerging artists, and they leave with the intention to help out in some way. We’re used to not hearing back. But that is not the case today. The Champ Medici Foundation for the Arts and the Tezos Foundation have come together to truly give back to the Bahamian community of emerging creative professionals in a very innovative manner through this gift.”  Mr. Dino Hernandez, UB’s Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Affairs, praised the new partnership for granting talented artists at UB the opportunity unlock their creative musical and artistic talents.  “We truly appreciate the partnership with CMAF and Tezos Foundation for the establishment of this $100,000 award, which I’m sure Dean of Liberal and Fine Arts Douglas Barkey and the exceptional music faculty are deeply appreciative of,” said VP Hernandez. “Providing our students with access to state-of-the-art digital equipment, educational tutorials, and mentorship, also will go a long way in teaching and training our students, many of whom are fantastic musicians and artists.” 

Abaco Hurricane Shelter ‘progressing’ despite inherited delays

Tue, Mar 5th 2024, 10:14 AM

The new, State-of-the-Art Hurricane Shelter and Community Centre currently under construction in Central Pines, Abaco, is scheduled to be fully completed by November 2024, despite some inherited delays.

Contractors add that the dual Shelter/Community Centre, which is anticipated to be a prototype for the future design and construction of shelters in The Bahamas, will have an “occupied date” of early summer, meaning that the facility should be available to host those persons requiring assistance at that time, if the need arises.  This is good news as the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season begins June 1 and runs through November 30.  Abaconians will continue to have access to a host of other approved shelters throughout the island, and not just rely on the prototype alone, however.

Disaster Risk Management officials further say the dual Hurricane Shelter and Community Centre will be “one of a kind” in the region in terms of its construction and design. The building is being constructed under “a new building code,” that calls for its structure – doors, window, roof -- to withstand hurricane force winds of up to 250 miles per hour (Category 5 Hurricane and higher).

Its mechanical systems are designed to accommodate diverse loads, including an industrial kitchen, communication systems, air-conditioning system, male and female bathrooms and showers, office spaces for emergency personnel, in addition to storage areas.

Standby generators to ensure continuity with communications, water, sewerage, air-conditioning, refrigeration, safety and security, will be installed in order to mitigate the impacts of disruptions in power.

A ramp that was not included in the original design, was added to allow persons with disabilities and the elderly -- considered two of the more vulnerable populations particularly during natural disasters such as tropical storms and/or hurricanes -- easy frontal access to the facility under the protection of a canopy.

“Construction is going very well, particularly now that we are back on schedule,” said Mr. Chris Symonette, Project Manager. “We had lost almost a year due to some faults that we found in the ground, and in the foundation, we met in place when we assumed responsibility for the project. These corrective measures took us about 9 months to resolve.

“The building is one of a kind in the region. As a matter of fact, this will be the first 250 miles-per-hour hurricane shelter design in The Bahamas. We had to exceed the ratings while ensuring that we have redundancy upon redundancy,” Mr. Symonette added.

Raeh Williams, a Director, with Wilkem Solutions, a Bahamian-owned entity that specializes in development, civil works and waste management, among other services, said the construction team has been “pushing every day” to ensure that they meet the projected dates. The company took over construction operations a little over one year ago.

“We met a lot of challenges that were a real test of our skill and tenacity because there were caves, holes and a lot of other issues that basically caused us to have to perform a lot of corrective work to get us where we are today. The scheduled completion date is November 2024, but we are anticipating having an occupied completion by June/July which is right at the beginning of the Hurricane Season so that if there is some need to use the shelter, it will be available. That is our push and we are pushing every day to make sure that we stick to that.”

The new, State-of-the-Art Hurricane Shelter and Community Centre currently under construction in Central Pines, Abaco, is scheduled to be fully completed by November 2024, despite some inherited delays. Contractors add that the dual Shelter/Community Centre, which is anticipated to be a prototype for the future design and construction of shelters in The Bahamas, will have an “occupied date” of early summer, meaning that the facility should be available to host those persons requiring assistance at that time, if the need arises.  This is good news as the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season begins June 1 and runs through November 30.  Abaconians will continue to have access to a host of other approved shelters throughout the island, and not just rely on the prototype alone, however. Disaster Risk Management officials further say the dual Hurricane Shelter and Community Centre will be “one of a kind” in the region in terms of its construction and design. The building is being constructed under “a new building code,” that calls for its structure – doors, window, roof -- to withstand hurricane force winds of up to 250 miles per hour (Category 5 Hurricane and higher). Its mechanical systems are designed to accommodate diverse loads, including an industrial kitchen, communication systems, air-conditioning system, male and female bathrooms and showers, office spaces for emergency personnel, in addition to storage areas. Standby generators to ensure continuity with communications, water, sewerage, air-conditioning, refrigeration, safety and security, will be installed in order to mitigate the impacts of disruptions in power. A ramp that was not included in the original design, was added to allow persons with disabilities and the elderly -- considered two of the more vulnerable populations particularly during natural disasters such as tropical storms and/or hurricanes -- easy frontal access to the facility under the protection of a canopy. “Construction is going very well, particularly now that we are back on schedule,” said Mr. Chris Symonette, Project Manager. “We had lost almost a year due to some faults that we found in the ground, and in the foundation, we met in place when we assumed responsibility for the project. These corrective measures took us about 9 months to resolve. “The building is one of a kind in the region. As a matter of fact, this will be the first 250 miles-per-hour hurricane shelter design in The Bahamas. We had to exceed the ratings while ensuring that we have redundancy upon redundancy,” Mr. Symonette added. Raeh Williams, a Director, with Wilkem Solutions, a Bahamian-owned entity that specializes in development, civil works and waste management, among other services, said the construction team has been “pushing every day” to ensure that they meet the projected dates. The company took over construction operations a little over one year ago. “We met a lot of challenges that were a real test of our skill and tenacity because there were caves, holes and a lot of other issues that basically caused us to have to perform a lot of corrective work to get us where we are today. The scheduled completion date is November 2024, but we are anticipating having an occupied completion by June/July which is right at the beginning of the Hurricane Season so that if there is some need to use the shelter, it will be available. That is our push and we are pushing every day to make sure that we stick to that.”

The Chinese Embassy presents desktop computers to Garvin Tynes Primary

Tue, Feb 13th 2024, 04:49 PM

A gift of five desktop computers was presented to Garvin Tynes Primary School, off Carmichael Road, February 8, 2024 courtesy of the People's Republic of China, via the Chinese Embassy. 

In attendance at the presentation was Chinese Ambassador H.E. Dai Qingli and Health and Wellness Minister, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, MP for the area.  They are shown seated.