This afternoon, the September 5th Foundation held the 10th Annual Memorial Ride. The ride commenced at 2:00pm at the City Hall in Hamilton and traveled to the Memorial Bench on Kindley Field Road, St. George’s for a short tribute and remembrance of the four lives lost on September 5th 2003. [Click photo to enlarge]. The ride then continued to St. George’s before finishing at the Prospect Police Recreation Club, where Commissioner of Police Michael DeSilva hosted a reception.

The September 5th Foundation, a registered charity, was formed to create an endowment fund to assist in the post-secondary education of the children whose parents and grand-parents were lost during the tragic events of Hurricane Fabian in 2003.

Bermuda police officers Stephen Symons, Nicole O’Connor, Station Duty Officer Gladys Saunders and civilian Manuel Pacheco, who was employed by the Corporation of Hamilton, tragically lost their lives on the Causeway at the height of the hurricane.

The initial beneficiaries of the Foundation’s efforts are the surviving children and grand-children of the victims - Zen-Paul Pacheco, Stephen Symons Jr., Kayuntae and Nazyia Saunders. Going forward, the Foundation will assist children of any future victims within the Bermuda Police Service ‘family.’

Providing sound educational opportunities and aiding in the development of productive young citizens is perhaps the greatest legacy the Foundation seeks to create on behalf of the victims and it is something the Foundation, with the support of businesses and residents, is determined to achieve.

In this, the 10th Anniversary year, the first four-year educational scholarship has been granted in the amount of $50,000 to Stephen Symons Jr. Stephen begins his undergraduate studies at Philadelphia University this month.

For additional information about the Foundation, news, events and photographs, as well as information on how to make donations, please visit their website: www.september5foundation.com.