Funeral home gives vouchers to people wearing masks properly

IT ISN’T EVERY DAY that a funeral home embarks on an initiative that could save lives, but on Thursday Dennie's Funeral Home of Lucien Road, Belmont, did just that.

THe funeral home gave away ten grocery vouchers valued at $300 to random people on the street who were wearing their masks properly .

At about 11 am on Thursday it began its “Dennie's Funeral Home Save a Life Initiative” to encouraged other people to do the same.

Managing director Cochese Tyler Dennie was aware of the irony of a funeral home encouraging people saving lives, as the industry is based on death.

“We also understand how easy it is to depart from life. As the saying goes, one minute you are here and one minute you are gone.”

Dennie added that covid19 has affected personal lives as well as businesses, including the funeral home business, so he thought it was an opportunity to give to those in need.

Dennie said the home hopes to give out ten vouchers to random people on the street every week.

The presentation of the vouchers was met with surprise by recipients.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” said Brenda Fernando from Laventille. “I didn’t know there were people donating these kind of things.”

Stephan Clark, who works in Port of Spain, said the contribution was helpful and the initiative was appreciated.

“I would encourage anyone to put on their masks properly, sanitise and take the necessary precautions, because you can see the number of cases going around right now.”

Dennie also encouraged people who did not wear their masks properly to do as the Ministry of Health advises – with the covering worn over the nose and under the chin.

He said because of the Ministry of Health’s restrictions, which limit to ten the number of people who can attend funerals and religious gatherings, the business has had to make adjustments to ensure that family members could get the proper closure, and are still able to say their final farewells in the best and safest manner possible.

“We offer livestream services from the beginning of the funeral to interment, but we have seen that some people like the physical (ability) to tell their loved one a final goodbye. So we are also doing visitation of the deceased, so family who would not be able to attend the funeral can visit and view the body over a three-day period,” Dennie said.