North Leeward senior citizens group says thanks

Editor: Please permit me, on behalf of the Troumaca/Rose Bank/Dark View Group of Senior Citizens to say a heartfelt thank you to the various entities, organizations and well-wishers who in whichever special way have contributed generously to making our tour on Thursday, July 30 a resounding success. We really do appreciate your continued support and look forward to partnering with you going into the future.{{more}}

The tour was another of a chain of events organized by the staff of the Troumaca Health Centre, geared towards the enhancing of the lives of senior citizens in the community.

Members of the above mentioned organization departed Dark View at about 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 30, on what turned out to be a very rainy morning, in very high spirits. The bus “SOON COME” was beaming with much excitement by the time it left Troumaca at about 8, destined for Orange Hill, with high hopes of visiting as many of the recreational sites along the way. The tour included a visit to the Botanic Gardens, the Golden Years Centres at Buccament and Black Point and the much talked about international airport construction at Argyle.

With such an early departure, top on the day’s itinerary was breakfast. Breakfast was scheduled for Peniston, next to that fascinating Hope Bridge, the largest of the tour replacement bridges recently constructed by the Ecuadoreans as a donation from the Government and people of Ecuador.

The folks enjoyed breakfast in the valley. It had been decades since most of them had visited the Vermont valley. They were all delighted crossing this masterpiece of fine art for the first time. This bridge is currently the one with the widest span in SVG.

The Botanic Gardens was the next scheduled call. On arriving there, the constant downpours did not allow much time for folks to get out and around, so the journey continued, en route to Rabacca. Most of these folks were yet to see the novel Rabacca River. They wanted to see it for themselves.

It was at Rabacca that the decision to make an about-turn was made. No longer were they going to brave the rains to Orange Hill. The Golden Years Centre at Black Point was then the next call. The welcome at this centre was exceptionally warm, the experience unforgettable; no wonder they were not very anxious to leave. The facilities and services rendered at this centre to them were simply phenomenal. How they wished for a centre like this that they can call their very own. They felt so much at home, but time was running out and it was time to leave for the next call at Argyle, to be followed by lunch at Rawacou.

Folks were bubbling with excitement on arriving at Argyle. The hive of activities on the site of the Argyle International Airport had come to a virtual halt. The high hopes of getting a tour of the terminal building got soaked in a never-ending shower of rain and folks were forced by the conditions to remain fixed to their seats on the “SOON COME.”

Yet the fascination of the runway, nearing completion, the control tower on the hill, the transformed landscape and everything else that added to their bewilderment took care of that initial disappointment. They were able to see before their very eyes something which had long been a lifelong dream unfolding into a living reality. Some were bursting with emotion: “Surely won’t be long before the jets come flying in” must have been their conclusion. The start of lunch got lost in those moments of anxiety at Argyle. Wonders seemed not to have ever ceased and long after the bus had come to a park at Rawacou the conversation and comments on the airport continued well into lunch and after.

Lunch was tasty and refreshing. Folks were obviously satisfied and all happy miles away from home, and even though the rain let up for a while, it came pouring down again, this time like never before.

The time to think was up, and boarding the “SOON COME” had arrived; it was then about 3 in the p.m. It was then soon time to leave.

The bus left Rawacou at about 3:15 in a downpour that continued all the way. It sometimes seemed as if it really had no end. Time and distance gently faded into everlasting memories. It was not until about 5:30 that our final passenger disembarked at Dark View, bidding goodnight, bringing the curtains down on yet another eventful, entertaining, educational and enjoyable tour. And a hearty thanks to all who have in whatever possible way made it a resounding success.

J Edwards