Tingum Village Hotel on Harbour Island, was host to a colourful Mother’s Day Honouree Extravaganza on Saturday afternoon, May 11th, 2024 held by member of parliament for North Eleuthera, and deputy speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Sylvanus Petty, which saw eight mothers – one chosen from each major township in North Eleuthera – honoured for the unique mark they had made within their communities.
The luncheon gathering brought together mothers from throughout North Eleuthera, with guests also joining from Governor’s Harbour, enjoying food, drinks, and loads of prizes and surprises. Honouree mothers, who included: Ms. Shirley Mackey of Upper Bogue; Ms. Lorna Symonette of The Current; Mrs. Virginia McDonald of Current Island; Ms. Gladys Thompson of Gregory Town; Mrs. Sylvia Bain-Moss of Lower Bogue; Mrs. Lorna Major of Harbour Island; Mrs. Delia Sturrup of Spanish Wells; and Mrs. Pandora Pedican of The Bluff, were presented with a special plaque detailing the occasion, as well as a gift of a 32″ television, courtesy of the member of parliament.
Many other gifts and prizes were distributed during the afternoon, in a combination of fun door prize announcements, trivia challenges, and special recognitions – like that of the oldest mother, youngest mother, and the mother present with the most children, along with others.
Special guest and patroness, who took time out to personally attend, and take part in the presentation activities during the Mother’s Day gathering was, Lady Ann Marie Davis, spouse of Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis. In an address to the crowd of well-dressed mothers, she highlighted the significance of the role, sacrifices, accomplishments and unique status of mothers both in Bahamian families and society as a whole.
Commenting on how she valued the opportunity to spend the afternoon with mothers in North Eleuthera, Lady Davis, said, “I am happy to be able to share in this moment… I like recognizing people who have made this country what it is today… to be recognized, to be seen, to be honoured – to make them happier, and to make them feel even more important. If my presence can do that, I am more than happy to do that here today.”
A special entertainment feature of the afternoon were the famed ‘Rahming Brothers’ acapella quartet, who serenaded with a bevy of their most well-loved renditions, including ‘Who’s gonna fill those shoes?’, and ‘We’ve come this far by faith’.
MP Petty, who was accompanied by both his wife and his mother, in his remarks during the luncheon, expressed his appreciation for all mothers, and mother figures – highlighting the many special people, who take on the role in our lives – citing, “…Adoptive moms, biological moms, foster moms, aunts, single moms, godmothers, – all the ladies who when you think of Mother’s Day – you acknowledge that they have made an impact on my life. Giving flowers is always a good idea, but I hope that on this Mother’s Day, we can recommit to doing more for our mothers, with deeds that match our words. Let’s give our mothers the respect they deserve… Let’s make sure we show gratitude and appreciation throughout the year. No one deserves that more than our moms.”
