USNS Comfort crew team up with Sandy Point youth to beautify area

Thirty-two crew members from the hospital ship USNS Comfort joined some 20 students from the Charles E. Mills Secondary School (CEMSS) on Wednesday, October 09, 2019, to execute a beautification project in the community and play a friendly game of basketball and soccer/football during a sports skills day camp.

The joint team repainted the wall outside of the Sandy Point Hard Court to a solid white colour. The painting covered a fading cultural mural that was done back in the year 2000 to commemorate the hosting of CARIFESTA VII in St. Kitts and Nevis.

The wall in Sandy Point will be decorated with a new mural through a collaborative project with the Department of Youth Empowerment, artists from Sandy Point, CEMSS students and other community members.

USNS Chaplain (Lieutenant Commander) Travis Coffey said that the activity "demonstrated partnership with the people of St. Kitts and Nevis beyond the medical mission, by supporting the efforts of the Ministry of Youth Empowerment."

The October 05 to 10 medical mission saw free medical and dental screenings performed at the Antioch Baptist Church in Basseterre and the community centre in St. Paul's.

The Chaplain aboard the USNS Comfort added that: "We were deeply honoured to be welcomed by the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, the community of Sandy Point, and its secondary school to partner and serve alongside them with the service project to the local sports park walls and to conduct the sports skills day camp."

The event was described as a success by the Acting Director of the Department of Youth Empowerment, Pierre Liburd, who noted that the joint team worked well together.

Chaplain Coffey agreed and singled out the friendly games as an excellent exchange tool. He said, "We were able to enjoy some friendly competition with basketball and soccer, and along with the local coach were able to share and exchange skill sets and build upon the importance of teamwork through the day camp. We were also able to share some [USNS] Comfort T-shirts, Frisbees, and soccer balls."