Nassau, The Bahamas – Pinewood Urban Renewal showed their respect for community seniors this Thanksgiving by holding a special luncheon for them at the Fellowship Baptist Church on Pigeon Pea Drive.
Minister of Lands and Local Government, the Hon. Byran Woodside spent a late morning lunch with the seniors and joined the celebration, and delivered a special message to the older persons that have made a significant contribution to the country.
“We are so thankful for the lives they have lived and for the contributions to which they have made in helping to build The Bahamas, to touch lives in their families, and also to touch the community to which we are all a part of,” said Mr. Woodside.
“In Pinewood, we have a wonderful community comprised of hard working persons and we are certainly thankful for our senior citizens for having instilled values in the younger generation and for being an example to the younger generation.”
The annual event was an opportunity to connect youth with elders and ensure them that their efforts were not in vain. Cleveland Eneas school children also sang to show their appreciation to the seniors.
“I am also pleased for the fact that many of our senior citizens have grandchildren in Pinewood who, because of the example to which they have lived, are aspiring to do good things in their lives and in this wonderful country of ours,” said Mr. Woodside.
Volunteers handed out grocery bags to seniors after they finished their meals and received grateful smiles in return. Minister Woodside reminded the Pinewood community about the spiritual communication that is exchanged when the community recognises from whence it came.
“When I attended the church service, my message was a simple one that we should reverence our elders. In cultures such as Japan, they have the utmost reverence for senior citizens, so much so that today the Prime Minister of Japan has to resign because of some disparaging remarks he made to senior citizens there,” said Mr. Woodside.
“In Western cultures, we don’t have that high level of reverence for senior citizens and so we in Pinewood are reminded to have that reverence and respect for those who have lived and who paved the way for all of us.”
By Gena Gibbs
Bahamas Information Services
