NEW YORK, NY: The Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda, His Excellency Sir Rodney Williams and his wife, Lady Sandra Williams, are joining many philanthropic organizations around the world, in observing April 20th as National Volunteer Recognition Day. The Governor General will use the day to issue a national call to service and to encourage all citizens to focus on the many opportunities to volunteer their time, talents and resources to help improve the lives of the less fortunate in their communities.
As founders of the Halo Foundation (
www.foundationhalo.org), a nonprofit umbrella organization that supports 25 charitable associations in Antigua and Barbuda, Sir Dr. Rodney Williams and his wife Lady Sandra Williams, provide charitable support, advocacy, strategic guidance and thought leadership to address the social welfare needs of a cross section of citizens who face adverse economic, social and physical limitations. Since its inception, in December 2014, the Halo Foundation has hosted and supported many local fund raising initiatives in the hopes of inspiring a new generation of volunteerism and philanthropy.
The Halo Foundation recently appointed an Executive Team that will focus on business development with the goal of broadening the organization’s fund raising efforts beyond the country’s borders. “During the past year, the Halo Foundation has received tremendous support for our local initiatives and fundraising efforts and we continue to get requests for assistance from many of the charitable organizations that are under our patronage. But with growth comes the need for more resources and so we have decided to take our message to a global level to ensure that we can continue to help create positive, sustainable change in the lives of some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said His Excellency Sir Dr. Rodney Williams.
The first international initiative that will be coordinated by the Halo Foundation’s Executive Team will be a gala themed “Wings of Charity.” This event will celebrate Antigua and Barbuda’s life and culture and will take the Halo Foundation’s message of community engagement and commitment to service to New York City, the largest source market for visitors to the destination and home to the largest concentration of Antiguan and Barbudan nationals in the Diaspora.
The social affair will be held on Thursday June 30, 2016 at 202 East 77th St, New York, NY. The event will kick off at 6:00 P.M. with a celebrity-studded red carpet, followed by cocktails, dinner, a cultural showcase and both silent and live auctions. Master of Ceremonies for the event will be Discovery Channel’s award winning TV journalist, Tony Harris, formerly of CNN and Al Jazeera.
Vignettes from Antigua’s 60
th Carnival festivities (
www.antiguacarnival.com), which will be celebrated
July 22 – August 2, 2016, will provide a vibrant backdrop for this exciting event. Guests will experience the destination’s rich cultural heritage through a cultural ensemble that features a variety of colorful Carnival costume collections and calypso music.
Individual Gala ticket packages are available from $150 – $1,500 if purchased by
June 1, 2016 and $200 – $2,000 thereafter. To purchase tickets and support the Halo Foundation, call
800-485-9502 or visit
www.foundationhalo.org.