Visiting US navy crew reach out to the community |24 July 2014

Crew members on board a visiting US navy ship took some time off yesterday to carry out voluntary work at the Vocational Training Centre (VTC) at North East Point.

Each time US navy ships anchor in Port Victoria, the US embassy organises community work for the sailors.

This time around, crew members on board the visiting USS James E. Williams (DDG95) were dispatched to the VTC for a clean-up activity.

After they were welcomed by the centre’s executive secretary Celine Fanchette as well as other staff and students, the US team made a donation of candies, cookies, nuts, chips and toys to the students before getting down to work.

The tasks they were assigned included changing doorknobs, cleaning the ceiling and also the centre’s premises.
The 23 navy workers, both male and female, were separated into groups according to their gender.

According to Chaplain Ray Adkins of the US navy ship, who is also responsible for community work done by the sailors each time they reach a destination, they want to “establish and maintain a good relationship with their allies and help the community”.

All sailors were happy to help out as this is a way for them to build relationship, meet new people and grow individually.
Already, the sailors have visited several countries such as Israel and Greece. However, Chaplain Adkins pointed out that in some countries it is rather difficult to carry out community work.

They have helped women who have been abused, those who live in the streets, orphans and the elderly community.
Also, they have tried to implement sports in countries where it is almost not practiced.

“The work done is beneficial to the community and the crew. The sailors choose to help other people through their humanitarian work and kind gestures,” said Chaplain Adkins.

As the crew’s mission changes a lot, they do not know for how long they will be in the country. Chaplain Adkins said that they will keep coming to Seychelles and provide community service in whatever way they can.

He described our islands as “beautiful and full of friendly people”.
As for the other sailors, they said that Seychelles is gorgeous, very interesting and gives them an idea of how life on the island is.
As they like volunteering, community work helps them to feel good.

“It is really important to volunteer, it makes you grow individually, be better and productive,” said a female navy worker.

She added that they have to “give back to the island” as being in Seychelles is valuable to them, for they get the opportunity to relax and do other important things.

Apart from the community work the sailors are also looking forward to swim in “the incredible seas of Seychelles” and experience “the many wonders” of the islands.

The accompanying photos show the sailors in action at the VTC.