Friends of Sion Hill honor outstanding four

The Brooklyn-based Friends of Sion Hill, Inc. (FOSH) on Saturday bestowed honors on four distinguished members of the community, at the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center in Brooklyn, during the group’s first gala ceremony since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the patronage of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Consul General to the United States Rondy “Luta” McIntosh, who and his wife, Semone, attended the gala ceremony, FOSH, named after a popular village in Kingstown, the Vincentian capital, bestowed its Lifetime Achievement Award on former Vincentian football (soccer) great Osborne “Sheen” Millington; Legend Award on former national soccer star Raymond “Bincans” Soso; Pillar of the Community Award on popular Vincentian medical doctor Clifford Young; and Diaspora Award on Pastor Derwin Grant, of Trinity Methodist Church on Eastern Parkway, near Utica Avenue, in Brooklyn.

Millington, a representative of the famous St. Vincent and the Grenadines national soccer team that place second to Suriname in 1979 in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament, gave special thanks to his wife, (Merle), “who has kept me still since 1976” and their son, Osvaldo, 23.

He also thanked the Sion Hill community and the Diaspora, and congratulated his fellow honoree, Dr. Young, his personal physician, and Consul General McIntosh on “what you have done so far.” McIntosh’s wife is also a native of Sion Hill.

Soso – another member of the 1979 national team, who was born in Paul’s Avenue, Kingstown – played soccer in the Sion Hill League with Zion Dreads and Corn Plif.

Masqueraders from Mas Productions Unlimited display their costumes.

“Both ‘Sheen’ and ‘Bicans’ represented St. Vincent and the Grenadines very well in the sport of soccer,” said former St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ national soccer captain Stanley “Luxie” Morris in a video clip during the awards ceremony. “Congratulations to the honorees and especially to my two teammates in the 1979 soccer team.”

Dr. Young, who was born in the town of Calliaqua in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, said many of his relatives were from Sion Hill.

In congratulating his fellow honorees, the said being a medical doctor is “not a right; it’s a privilege.”

“I couldn’t have done this without you,” he told patrons. “I couldn’t have done this without my wife (Hilma, a registered nurse),” his “chief cook and bottle washer”.

The Young’s son, Clifford Young, Jr., said his dad has “deep love for medicine.”

Retired Vincentian Registered Nurse Judith Lewis, who works part-time in Dr. Young’s private office in Canarsie, Brooklyn, said: “I can’t think of anyone more deserving (in receiving the Pillar of the Community Award).

“Congratulations!” she added. “You deserve the spotlight to celebrate on this momentous occasion.”

In his acceptance speech, Pastor Grant asked for “a round of applause to Sion Hill” and thanked his wife, Juliana, his family and the Trinity Methodist Church, stating that the church “has always looked back to help the community.”

“The blessing of God has always been in these times,” he said. “The things that you do will help others. It is only what you do for others will allow you to last.”

The event also featured a fashion show, modeling outfits from Mashood Fashions in Brooklyn, and carnival costume displays by young masqueraders from the Brooklyn-based Mas Productions Unlimited, produced by Vincentian Wesley Millington.

FOSH President Nicola Munroe said the pandemic had affected the hosting of the gala for the last three years.

She, however, said her group was “grateful” to patrons for their support.

Honorees

Osborne “Sheen” Millington, with plaque, flanked by family members, and Consul General Rondy “Luta” McIntosh (far left) his wife, Semone (far right). Photo by Nelson A. King

Osborne “Sheen” Millington

He was born on Sept. 18, 1956, and is the 9th child of Janet and Sydney Millington. He attended the Richmond Hill and Sion Hill Government schools.

“After leaving school, under the watchful eye of his father, a professional plumber, Millington decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and take up the trade, eventually going on to work for the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Public Works,” his biography says. “Millington was a member of the heralded 1979 Football Team that placed second to Suriname that year.”

As a young boy, it says Millington fell in love with sports, especially football, where he spent hours on the Sion Hill Playing Field practicing his skills.

The biography says Millington first honed in on his skills playing with the Somerset club, but he landed his first big football break playing for the Sion Hill Club and would eventually go on to play for the St. Vincent and the Grenadines youth team from 1975 to 1976.

Millington represented St. Vincent and the Grenadines in soccer, in the mid-field and striking positions, from 1976-85 under his older brother, Elliot “Morey” Millington, captaincy.

Raymond “Bicans” Soso, with plaque, flanked by family members, and Consul General Rondy “Luta” McIntosh (far left) his wife, Semone (far right). Photo by Nelson A. King

Raymond “Bicans” Soso

He attended the Kingstown Methodist School. He was not immersed in football in his formative school years. He did, however, bring to the game an “innate ability and an agile and quick mind, which allowed for an immediate grasp of the essentials of the beautiful game”, according to his biography.

“His talent for the beautiful game was honed with championship teams such as Avenues United and Ricks Superstars, alongside such greats as Winston Soso and Andre ‘Spot-I’ Dopwell,” his biography says. “Highly regarded as a player, Bincans was member of the representative team of 1975 at the age of 22, and a member of the 1979 national team. He would remain a perennial powerhouse in the national team until 1982.

“In his much-touted football career, Bincans made an immediate impact wherever he played, no matter the league or team he played for,” it adds. “Such was his skills he is considered one of the greatest players at his position in annals of Vincentian football history.

“It is fitting that Raymond “Bincans” Soso, a true legend of St. Vincent and the Grenadines football is receiving the Friends of Sion Hill Legends Awards, well-deserved recognition for his skill and contribution to the beautiful game,” the biography continues.

Dr. Clifford Yong, with plaque, flanked by family members and Consul General Rondy “Luta” McIntosh (far left). Photo by Nelson A. King

Clifford V. Young, M.D, FACP

A graduate of the St. Martin’s Secondary School in Kingstown, Dr. Young was awarded a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Scholarship to attend the Barbados Community College, where he studied Laboratory Technology.

In 1980, he migrated to New York, where he continued his studies at Hunter College, City University of New York, graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.

He went on to study at the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center where he earned a Doctor of Medicine degree, according to the biography.

Dr. Young completed his Medical Internship at the Albert Einstein Hospital and his Medical Residency at the Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn.

In 1992, Dr. Young became an Emergency Room Attending Physician at Kings County Hospital Center, where he remained until 2003.

Currently, he is an Attending Physician at Woodhull Hospital Medical Center and in the Department of Medicine at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center.

In addition, he is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, where he teaches physical diagnosis.

Dr. Young became the director of CITI Medical of Canarsie, PC in 2003, where he remains in private practice.

Further, he is a diplomate of the board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Internal Medicine; a fellow of the American College of Physicians; and a member of the Nation Medical Association.

Modeling Mashood Fashions outfits. Photo by Nelson A. King

Pastor Derwin Grant

Derwin Grant was born on Nov. 4, 1969 to Muriel Degrads and Cleo Grant. He was taught to love the Lord at an early age, and was baptized at the Rillan Hill International Pentecostal Assembly of the West Indies in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

After his baptism, Pastor Grant became active as a missionary secretary, and later on became missionary president, a Sunday school teacher, and youth leader.

“Derwin was hungry for the knowledge of Jesus, and so his involvement coupled with his hunger, geared him to theological school,” the biography says. “Derwin’s ambition and eagerness to follow Christ led him to Iona Center for Theological Study in 1989, where he graduated with a diploma in theology.

“This was the beginning of a whole new world,” it adds. “Derwin served as a local preacher and also a member on the church board. In 1992, he was ordained as the church’s evangelist and counselor. Eager to serve the lord, he moved to Questelles Evangelical Church  of the West Indies, where he took up fellowship , and served as a local preacher and the Adult Sunday school teacher.

“Never limiting himself to anything, he served in any capacity needed, wherever he could express his gift for the honor and glory of God,” the biography continued.

In 1997, he migrated to New York and attended the Trinity Apostolic Church on Pacific Street in Brooklyn. He fellowshipped there for a while, and later, in 1999 he visited Divine Word of Truth of God in Christ, Inc. where he attended regularly with his family, according to the biography.

In 2001, it says he accepted the right hand of fellowship.

“Again, he wasted no time to share his knowledge of God,” the biography says, adding that he joined the men’s group and preached in the Sunday Evening Services, and was ordained later on as an Elder of that ministry.

Grant has been the pastor of Trinity Methodist church for the past 10 years.

In March 2011, he received an honorary Doctor of Ministry from Anointed by God Ministry Alliance and Seminary (Dr. Alfred Phillips, founder, and Dr. Janesia Fuller Mosley, dean) accredited by worldwide accreditation commonwealth of Virginia.

Pastor Grant’s motto is: “Love God, Love yourself, and Love others into the Kingdom of God.”