Mr Nelson Ramirez, Sales Specialist, Retail Banking, CIBC FirstCaribbean presents Mr Terrence Chinnery, President of the Virgin Islands Softball-Baseball Association with a check to support the association’s recovery efforts following the damage caused to the sport’s facilities and equipment by last August’s floods and Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Photo: Provided

A press release dated June 12, 2018, said, “as a community bank we encourage initiatives that promote health and wellness as well as national programmes that engage, educate and develop the youth of the territory.”

CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Sales Specialist, Mr Nelson Ramirez, was quoted saying, “the Virgin Islands Softball-Baseball Association combines all of those mandates and since the bank previously supported them with the purchase of team equipment, it seems fitting that we should support them in their efforts to bring the sport back to the status it enjoyed before the 2017 floods and storms.”

VISBA, formerly known as the British Virgin Islands Amateur Softball Association, was formed in 1952 to encourage, develop and control the sport in the territory. As one of the oldest established sports in the VI, softball is considered to be one of the territory’s national sports and is played throughout all segments of the community with national teams representing the VI at regional competitions abroad.

“It is the association’s intended purpose to enable persons throughout the community to acquire technical skills, experience ideal sportsmanship and develop a strong sense of community and national pride,” said Mr. Terrence Chinnery, President of VISBA. “We rely on the support of the community’s private sector businesses such as CIBC FirstCaribbean as well as affiliates and friends to help us restore the softball-baseball grounds and facilities and replace the equipment that was damaged or lost last summer.”

The bank’s donation of $1,000 will help fund the budget for rebuilding the E. Walwyn Brewley Softball Park and the acquisition of a pitching machine, softball and baseball balls, gloves, and batting tees.