African Heritage pageant seeks to rescue Uncle Eddie’s Home

The deteriorating Uncle Eddie’s home for the elderly received a much needed injection of funds from the organizers of the just launched 2012 Miss Guyana African Heritage Pageant.

Organisers of the event promised to continue contributing to the geriatric care institution, even as they appealed to others to join them in rescuing the condition of the facility.

This year’s Miss Guyana African Heritage Pageant participants pose with a portrait of founder of the Uncle Eddie’s Geriatric Home ‘Uncle Eddie’ in background.

“The aim is to have these young ladies understand and know the need and importance of recognizing and honouring their heritage. It begins with Uncle Eddie’s home because we want them to recognize and honour and have an appreciation for the elderly since they hold not only a wealth of knowledge of history but life’s lessons,” Pageant Organiser Shabakie Fernandes told Stabroek News.

The group presented mattresses to the home compliments of Keishar’s Department Store and plans to continue to make tangible gifts even after the pageant is finished.

“We intend to make Uncle Eddie’s Home a continuous focus because it is in need of immediate intense repairs,” another member of the team said, noting the leaky roof and broken floor boards..

With the theme for the pageant this year being ‘Our Past Conditions – Our Present Mould Our Future,’ it envisioned that participants will showcase what they would have learnt from the time spent interacting with residents of the home.

The pageant is billed for July 31 at the National Cultural Centre.

Experts associated with rehabilitation plans say the institution needs, among other items, curtain drapery, blinds, cement, paint and about 75 truckloads of earth or sand to build the land as it is flooded every time it rains.

The public can contact the organizers of the pageant on telephone number 672-1930 for information on making donations.