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…relatives of the late Agatha McKay give back to communities
Some 70 children from several communities in Georgetown have benefitted from donations from the relatives of the late Mildred Agatha McKay who have annually set an example about the importance of giving back.
The event was held on July 14, 2021, at the Festival City Community Center in Georgetown and there, children between the ages of 4-12 received bicycles, cellphones, tablets, toys, toiletries, learning supplies and more. The donations cost over GYD 1.4M or over US $7,000. July 14 is the birth anniversary of the late Mildred Agatha McKay who died in 2001. She was the caterer at the Dolphin Government School for many years. Since her passing, for the past 20 years, her family has been giving back to communities in ways they could afford.
To mark the 20th anniversary this year, they decided to go big by planning a get-together for the children with food and surprises. Explaining what has motivated the family over the years was the daughter of McKay, Elizabeth Taylor. “When we were growing up, my mom, especially at Christmas time, would like to include everybody. Where we were living was a tenement yard, that was the longest yard in Albouystown and there were all types of people in there, we all used to share. So, my mom, doing that, I developed the want to do something,” Elizabeth Taylor explained.
Meanwhile, the grandson of McKay, Richard Taylor said that the family has also given back to children orphanages, the Dharam Shala and communities. “My grandmother was always a woman from the community, even when Festival City was formed, she was part of the El Dorado group which was part of the formation of Festival City. She was always giving back to the community,” he said. Richard Taylor, who is also the Chairman of the Festival City Youth and Parent Organisation, used the opportunity to encourage others who have the means to also give back to those less fortunate as it causes a positive ripple effect.
Richard Taylor and others a part of the Festival City Youth and Parent Organisation were instrumental in securing donations from the Builders Beyond Borders in 2013 to construct the Festival City Community Center.
