WIDELY regarded as Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) will from the 15th August to the 30th of September, 2010 celebrate its 20th anniversary.

The club was formed back in September of 1990 by three times Guyana and Commonwealth Youth Service Awardees, the St. Francis Xavier Sports Club.

The club has organized a series of activities starting with an anti-drugs walkathon around Rose Hall Town and prayer service at its Area ‘H’ ground office, concluding with a family concert in late September.

Secretary/CEO of the RHTYSC, Hilbert Foster heads the club’s 20th anniversary celebration committee which consists of organising secretary Ravin Kissoonlall, office manager/PRO Moonish Singh, Treasurer Devon Hicks and cricket manager Patrick Lewis.

Foster, who has served as the club’s Secretary/CEO for the last 12 years, stated that the club has a lot to be proud of over it’s two decades in history and traced the club’s development from it’s formation to it’s current status as Guyana’s best.

Foster said that in 1990, the RHTYSC had no office, no finance and no sports gears and had to use the Area ‘H’ ground which looked more like a swampland than a cricket ground.

Twenty years later, the RHTYSC has the proud record of being national cricket champions twice, Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)Club of the year thrice, current national female champions and to date has won over 20 Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) titles at all levels.

The club has also produced five senior first class players, 19 junior national cricketers along with an overall total of 60 players for Berbice at all levels.

In addition, Royston Crandon represented the West Indies at the ODI level, Esaun Crandon at the sixes level, Assad Fudadin played for the West Indies ‘A’ Team while the club has also produce three West Indies female cricketers.

Foster also disclosed that every year, the club undertakes over 150 projects and programmes under several sub-heading of charity, culture, anti-drugs, community development, awards, religious, social and personal development.

These include television programmes, cricket academies, annual awards ceremonies, summer Educational Camp, Tribute to Heroes, Tribute to Teachers, weekly feeding of the poor, Lower Corentyne Outstanding Students Awards, Annual Youth Magazines, Busta Champion of Champions, Mother and Father of the Year Award Ceremony and the Junior Cricketer Ambassador Programme.

The club also shares out millions of dollars worth of educational and hygiene materials, food hampers, clothing, toys, sport equipment and foot wear to thousands of youths and less fortunate individuals on an annual basis.

This year’s celebration would be used by the club to reflect on it’s achievements to date and at the same time, plan for the future with the main aim of making a positive difference in the lives of youths, the elderly and less fortunate.

The month of activities would consist of a Feeding of the Poor Programme for 500 persons, sharing out of food hampers to 200 less fortunate families, a T20 cricket match.

A family concert, public exhibition, Special Television Programme, launching of 20th anniversary magazine, Tribute to Heroes Programmes, unveiling of the club’s all time cricket team, Region 6 Educational Award Scheme and the donation of a television set to a children orphanage is also on the list.

The RHTYSC would like to encourage all former members to call the club office to be a part of the historic celebration, as the club seeks to involve all and sundry in this historic occasion.