Cancer hospice gets hefty donation from Janoura, Machel

Vitas House Hospice has received a $100,000 donation – proceeds from a fundraising event hosted by businesswoman Hannah Janoura, in collaboration with king of soca Machel Montano.

The event, a Carnival fete, was planned by Janoura, and Montano performed free of charge. It was held on February 1 at Mille Fleurs in Port of Spain.

On February 11 Janoura and Montano presented the cheque to Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society (TTCS) chairman Robert Dumas and Gabrielle Azar at the St James hospice. Masman Brian MacFarlane, who did the decor and arranged some of the entertainment for the fundraiser, was also there.

The hospice is a project of the TTCS and provides palliative care to terminally-ill cancer patients.

Dumas thanked Janoura and Montano on behalf of the Cancer Society, adding that every dollar counts because Vitas House is funded by donations.

Janoura said the idea for the fundraiser came when Montano visited her store on Sackville Street, Port of Spain last year to ask if she could make the costumes for him for his presentation in the Dimanche Gras finals.

"He came to me in January, the week of Carnival. Running into my shop, he said, 'I know you can do this...'

"I made his gown for him..."

But, she said, he didn't like it, so she made another one for him, in a matter of hours.

"He said, 'I will do anything for you,' and I said, 'Don't bet that with me. Machel.

"I want you to do a show for me – a fundraiser.' And that was how the collaboration started...

"Machel didn't charge me a cent."

She said when people heard that Montano was going to perform, everyone wanted to attend.

"And not only that, a lot of young people came to the fete."

Montano said it was the first fete he had performed at for the season, and went straight from the airport to Mille Fleurs.

"I was actually in Barbados that same evening and went directly to the fundraiser.

"From the moment I went in there and saw the decor, the mood, the energy, I just felt that this was really the right thing to do to start a Carnival season. Start off giving, and you will get so much more."

He described his payment as a currency of "sharing and caring and actually doing what is needed right now."

He said he and Janoura had discussed the projects he was doing in schools and with young people in communities.

"And this (Vitas House) is a community here.

"I am also very much attached to this idea of care because my grandmother passed of cancer also, and she was very dear to me.

"People in these situations need our help...Sometimes it is nothing to give of our talent and time, but money is important for places like these to function.

"I'm always here for ideas like this, and I feel honoured to work with Ms Janoura."

He said among the things he would like to do is start schools for pan, as opposed to just putting pan in schools.

"An idea by Lloyd Best...

"In this last week I went to All Stars panyard, Renegades panyard and and Exodus panyard, and I noticed these are the only things where the entire communities come out – adults, kids, grandmothers and grandfathers – everybody just coming out to enjoy the music on the national instrument...

"I would like to invest in these community projects...We can work together and raise more funds," Montano said.

"And he is stuck with me," Janoura quipped in."He has given a lot to this country. And in what he does for the country, I hope he has set an example for others to follow."

The reigning Calypso Monarch told Newsday he will be defending his title, but will not be singing in a tent this year.

Montano has ten Road March and seven Soca Monarch titles, and is a Chutney Soca Monarch finalist.