The students of Trinity School of Medicine’s Society of Medicine and Surgery has held their steady pace of fundraising, this time providing financial assistance for the Vincentian Kourageouz Kids Foundation for their 2015 Back-to-School Drive.
After the successful SMS volleyball match at the Trinity campus earlier this year, the students held a second event at Canash Beach on June 27th, this time, a barbecue-bonfire. Clinical Coordinator of SMS, Fourth Term student Janel Bakou who was involved in the organization of the event, gave a simple explanation for the choice of event, “We thought it would be something nice for the students to enjoy and raise money at the same time. Who doesn’t like to have a bonfire on the beach?”
Brielle Marks of the SMS, was happy that the event was so well supported. “We are serious about raising funds for the Kourageouz Kids Foundation,” she said, “We really like what they do for the children of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They reach out to underprivileged kids and give them support with school supplies. At Christmas time they give them gifts; and we wanted to be a part of that. We are trying to donate, on top of money, school supplies like backpacks, notebooks, pencils, pens, and lunch boxes.”
Trinity students (pictured left) combining philanthropy with a rare break from their coursework.
She reminisced how the Society was investigating philanthropy in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and found out about the Foundation. “We liked everything that they did.” She continued, “We all agreed that since we all are academics, we wanted to give the children an opportunity to grow and reach their dreams.” Many of Trinity’s students come to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and find the people to be so welcoming and gracious, they want to give back during their time and to be a part of the greater community. Along those lines, SMS coordinator Janel Bokou noted they understood how assistance now could impact any child’s future: “Maybe one of those kids will become a doctor. Maybe s/he will attend Trinity.”
As far as SMS and their continued involvement with the Foundation, Brielle indicated that her successor, Walter Stewart already has plans to become involved in a Christmas program. She believes that at this point in time, the membership of the Society of Medicine and Surgery will concentrate on the Kourageouz Kids Foundation, offering them a degree of philanthropic focus as they continue to work towards their own academic ambitions.
SMS leadership (below, left), new and old and the bonfire in progress. (right)
The person charged with crafting the direction of the relations between Trinity SMS and the general public of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is incoming Director of Public Relations of the Trinity SMS, Vincentian Walter Stewart. Stewart reported, “As of August 2015, I will be the new DPR of SMS. It will be a unique role for me, being a Vincentian.”
Walter fully embraced philanthropy. He explained that through participating in activities like the barbecue-bonfire, that SMS, and many other groups on campus, have successfully incorporated fundraising and leisure without diminishing either, an important step at Trinity with the rigors of medical school. He believed that such events, while raising money, also gives the very busy students the opportunity to interact with each other and members of the community. “Everyone knows the cause and it keeps the camaraderie great,” he said, “there are students from all five terms here. The new students use opportunities like these to talk with students of the different terms present, to make connections and find out information.”
