Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

Miss Jamaica World 2007 Yendi Phillipps. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Embodying grace, beauty and social consciousness, Miss Jamaica World 2007 Yendi Phillipps is making good on her coronation night promise to assist victims of Hurricane Dean.

Yendi is working hard to raise funds by putting on a Celebrity Charity Fashion Show at the Jamaica Pegasus Ballroom on Sunday, October 21. According to Yendi, the celebrities present at the event will be kept a surprise, but include entertainers, party promoters, radio and TV personalities, among others whom the pubic can easily relate to.

Securing sponsorship

The reigning Miss Jamaica World is presently on a drive to secure sponsorship for the event. "We've had companies that are interested in covering costs for the event, but we also need companies to come out and buy blocks of tickets. We need the place to be filled; unless the house is sold out it wouldn't be much of a benefit," Yendi told The Gleaner.

Though not on her original list of charities, Yendi was quick to familiarise herself with the devastating effect of Hurricane Dean. Yendi arranged with ODPEM to tour Old Harbour Bay, one of the areas worst affected by the hurricane. The tour took place on Wednesday, September 19, with Miss Jamaica being accompanied by Charmaine Gentles, manager at ODPEM.

Necessity for funding

She said "When we toured Old Harbour, I could see that it was destroyed. There is a necessity for funding for the area. Some people derive their main income from fishing and other sources out there".

One situation that particularly affected her was that of a teacher who lost her husband during the storm, when he had a heart attack. "That impacted me the most. I've lost close family, and I can imagine what it feels like to sit down and watch him die and can't get help or to get him properly taken care of," she said, with feeling.