The AIDS Foundation was chosen the recipient of the State Gift Auction – an important component of the Miss Universe Competition, held August 13 at Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort.
Nassau, Bahamas — President of the AIDS Foundation, Camille Barnette, said that this donation pushes even further efforts to eradicate the scourge of the HIV and AIDS.
“The National Gift Auction is a tradition of the Miss Universe Competition and we are very delighted that the AIDS foundation was selected to be recipient of the proceeds from this auction,” said Camille Barnett, President of the AIDS Foundation of The Bahamas.
“We have an interesting collection of gifts from the contestants – some of which are absolutely fabulous.
“For example, there is a Nascar Helmet (donated by Miss USA Kristen Dalton) signed by 34 of Nascar’s superstars, among other fabulous things.”
Items ranged between $35 to $5,000 with opening bids starting as low as $15. “There’s something for everybody’s pocketbook,” noted Mrs. Barnett.
Of particular note was a gift from Miss Australia, Rachael Finch, who presented an exclusive indigenous necklace with Argyle diamonds designed by Temelli Jewellery and inspired by Kngwarreye, an Aboriginal artist and designer. It is valued at $4,500.
Other pieces of note included a hand woven indigenous Mayan tunic donated by Miss Guatemala, Lourdes Figuerosa; bedroom furnishings inspired by the patterns of “Tree of Life” by designer Ritu Kumar donated by Miss India, Ekta Chowdhry, and a glass sculpture created by well-know contemporary artist Ioan Nemtoi, donated by Miss Romania Bianca Constantin among other beautiful items.
Miss Bahamas, Kiara Sherman’s donation was a yellow and lime green ceramic tea set. The cups were accented with cowbell handles and the saucers were formed in the shape of seagrapes with cowbell insignia.
The AIDS Foundation of the Bahamas was established in l992 with the mission to support the fight against HIV/AIDS in the country.
One of its major successes was the AZT program in which the Foundation purchased the AZT medicine for the Government operated HIV/AIDS Programme for HIV positive pregnant women.
It resulted in a decrease in the mother-to-child transmission rate from 30 percent to less than one percent.
Another major step by the Foundation is the creation of a home for children who are HIV positive.
@Russell Johnson
They look like they texting everybody randomly, because BTC text me something about the pageant on Sunday. I didn’t pay it much attention, because I was not planning on going. I will be right here in my living room with front row seats watching it on TV. The only thing is now; I am trying to figure out if to watch it on ZNS or on a foreign channel. I just don’t know if ZNS will have the properly lighting and sound effects. Anyway, I know I am always so hard on them, it’s only because I want to see them do better. This Sunday, I think I will turn to ZNS and give them the benefit of the doubt that they can do something properly without making a mess of things.
@Kim Sands
I got a text on my telephone stating that the parade will start at 6 p.m and travel from Arawak cAY TO CABLE bEACH VIA wEST bAY sTRET.Thank God, now lets just hope that none of the trucks working Saunders Beach and Arawak Cay and have an accident with any of the paraders.Didnt know I had connections to get this info.
That excuse did not make any sense, because who ever they hired to prepare for the float they suppose to know the girls them would need to be strapped properly on the parade. That goes without saying. I would really like to know who this person is who they hired, because he must be dropped out of school. That excuse what she come up with making all us look like we don’t have no sense. She might as well did say we was expecting some bad whether and just leave it like that. Where they suppose to be having this float anyway? I hope they weren’t planning on using Shirley Street and Bay Street, because those two roads all hackle right up. I mean it done bad enough they aint fix it and they know these people was coming here. They must be carrying them out Cable Beach or Paradise Island aye? What it is to organize a simple float? Lawd have mercy! I keeping my finger cross that and praying that everything goes well on Sunday. This really will be interesting.
If this Government of the FNM can have so many scandals in one term. Can you imagine what will happen?? If they get another term?? If havent caught some of them with their hand in the cookie jar, you send them back to office, can you imagine what will happen to the Cookie Jar???
It is now being asked; why did the the Miss Universe parade not happen? I wonder if anyone listened to the Director General’s comments for the cancellation of the parade?
Now this suppose to be a SMART woman but listen to the explanation, “two of the float parades were damaged by rain….and unless the girls were strapped to the float we could not take them…”
Now this clearly mean all material provide on the floats were material paid for [designed] and guess what someone GOT PAID for an event that never happened! Typical ‘THIEFIN’ MOT. We say no more…
Bahamas Press/Editor
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