–helping out elderly with Christmas chores

SEVENTY-ONE youths from the Wismar-Linden area were on Thursday employed during the launching of the ‘Elderly Care Programme’.
The Elderly Care Programme is a partnership with outgoing Mayor of Linden Carwyn Holland and the Linden Youth Leaders Group.

The purpose of the programme is to bridge the gap between young people and the elderly, and to also build cohesion.
“At the end of it, we are building cohesion in our communities,” Holland said. “The young people will learn to work together; they will learn also to work and respect the elderly, take care of their community, take care of the people of their community.”
Holland believes that young people need “to have that connection with the older folk before they go to the Great Beyond.”

He further noted, “We have to take care of the elderly; it is they who took care of us when we were younger, and Christmas is the best time for us to show our care and our concern for these persons.”

The 71 youths were all chosen from the Wismar Shore area, and will commence work today at 06:00hrs, helping some 70 to 80 senior citizens from Third Alley to Waterlily Street who are in need of help, and will end on Christmas Eve.
The youths will be working for at least $10,000 each over the two days. Some of the work they will be doing is: cleaning up the environment, the cleaning of senior citizens’ yards, nailing fences, and changing of zincs.

In addition, medical professionals will be visiting the seniors over time to check on their health and to generally attend to their needs.
Present at the launch was Dr. Astell Collins, Youth Adviser, who spent his time empowering and motivating the young people through his speech. He said to them, “All of you are dynamic; you are magnificent, and you were born for such a time as this, but you have to understand why…

“Don’t allow anyone — any politician –to tell you what you should be doing; understand why, the reason for your being.”
He went on to say, “We as a people have struggled for years. You can have political power, but true power lies in self-love and self-governance…

“We are depending on you; you are probably our best and brightest hope, but if you are unaware of that, you would indulge in self-limiting activities. Don’t indulge in activities that would limit your potential.”