As LINDEN FUND USA celebrates 20th anniversary

By Joe Chapman in New York

THE Linden Fund USA’s Board of Directors will be chaired for the third straight two-year term, by Paula Walcott-Quintin following the Annual General Meeting and biennial elections which took place last Saturday at 1133 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.
Walcott-Quintin was elected unopposed to the lead position. Vice-chairman Keith Semple will also serve once more. Retaining their positions also were Secretary Shona Wright-Halley and Treasurer Cyrilene Wright.

Following presentation of the 2019 minutes which was done by Wright-Halley and the Treasurer’s Report by Wright, which were accepted, Keith Semple gave in conjunction with Walcott-Quintin a report about the newly acquired LFU office in Linden.

Chapter Reports were also given by the New Jersey Chapter of the Linden Fund, which is chaired by Michael Campbell and the incoming New York Chapter’s new Chairperson Joan Casey also read her report. They both pledged their continued support to the Linden Fund USA.

The other members of the LFU USA Board of Directors are Sammy David, Gail Christopher Henry, Ernest Joseph, George Parris and Francene Brotherson, who unfortunately was absent.

Reporting on the New Jersey Chapter before the elections was its Chairman Michael Campbell who stated that the chapter under trying circumstances did the best they could and it is felt that they did perform creditably.

He promised that they will redouble their efforts this time around and collaborate with the New York Chapter to give the best support to the Linden Fund USA.

The New York Chapter’s new Chairperson Joan Casey, who has replaced Steve Henry, said: “I am going forward, but I am not going to do this work without him.”

She proclaimed: “As long as one does it, we all did it. Let us work as a family, New York and New Jersey. I am excited if we don’t lift up our boots and run with it in this juncture in Guyana then we would have lost it. I am cajoling, I am asking, as I couldn’t believe the amount of people I saw here. This has energised me and I know we are going somewhere….we are one family.”

Responding to both reports Walcott-Quintin said: “It is only the responsibility of the Chapter where an event is because it is being held there; but at any time any event of the day, whether it is in Georgia, New York, Florida, it is the Linden Fund USA. The Chapter may take the lead, but then it makes sense if you to get locations in the area because it is the local people you must depend on.”

In her remarks, Walcott-Quintin acknowledged: “Some of the events are for community-building, but you want to cover your expenses for the non-tangible benefits. Maybe, some events need to [be] scaled up and some scaled-down.”

Walcott-Quintin was quick to tell the meeting of the importance of membership, warning: “Continue to understand that membership is everybody’s business. If you are in doubt about what your role is and can do; some people can write nice, some people can draw nice, some people can sell tickets, love you all. But guess what, everybody is expected to grow the organisation and bring membership. Bring good ideas to the organisation; forward-looking, projecting for the next 20 years.”

Those gathered, however, expressed that there should be an effort to publicise what they have been doing so that those who give their support would be more aware of the achievements gained each year. It was felt that among other things, there was a need for highlighting more of what the LFU does and the events held and do a better job with the help of one page of popular spots where they operate, at Town Hall meetings.
It was also felt that they can even have a give-back one time a year in the tri-state communities or even have an ad in the newspapers to let people know that the LFU appreciates their support and what we do in Linden. The tri-state community and give-back stuff not only in Guyana but also out here

“Thank you for the last two years, I truly appreciated [that] some of you have stepped up in ways that have been unimaginable. Thank you, appreciate the gift of friendship that I enjoyed with everybody here,” Walcott-Quintin stated ahead of the elections.
Nominations were sent via the Internet, but nominations were also accepted just before the elections were held.