History
Emmanuel Lafond,
former Chief Scout of Haiti
and
Monique Blanchard,
former Chief Girl Guide of Haiti.
CASEGHA-USA
Founders
On February 25, 1975 responding to a meeting request from Emmanuel Lafond, former Chief Scout of Haiti and Monique Blanchard, former Chief Girl Guide of Haiti, a group of former scouts and former girl guides of Haiti, living in New York, gathered at the school auditorium of the Sacred Heart School in Cambria Heights, New York, and founded CASEGHA-USA:
The Club of Former Scouts and Guides of Haiti.
First Meeting
But, on January 30, 1982, a general assembly decided to bring a change to the name of this organization since the translation from French into English brought some interpretations, which did not conform to their aims, and the word “Club” was replaced by “Association”. The organization kept the abbreviated name of “CASEGHA-USA” since it was already known as such by the community.
With one hundred and fourteen present at this gathering it went very smoothly with fraternity and joy. That same night it was decided of the orientation and aims of this new association.
A temporary board of directors was named and a decision to extend the membership to the non-scout spouses of the members of this association was approved. On January 24, 1976 the first elected board of directors was in place with Mr. Emmanuel Lafond as the first president for a two-year period.
During the first 25 years of it’s existence CASEGHA-USA, thru its membership and following the principles of scouting has devoted most of its activities in “Good Turns”, helping the needy ones both in U.S and in our homeland, Haiti. Mentioning just a few:
Distribution of seeds to peasant-farmers in the rural sections of Haiti.
Construction of 2 water-reservoirs of 3,000 gallons capacity each at St Laurent (Morne l’Hopital) in the hills surrounding the capital city of Port-au-Prince.
Participating financially in the construction of a water-reservoir of 25,000 gallons capacity in Paillant, rural section of Miragoâne (Haiti).
Financial aid to Institut Montfort, an institution specializing in the education and well being of deaf mute and blind children.
Greatly helped in the reconstruction of Grison-Garde (north of Haiti) church and provided the underprivileged student of the St Therese school with medical supplies, food for lunch and clothing. We further supplied Grison-Garde with a large number of tools and sewing machines badly needed by the vocational school (carpentry and sewing).
Provided generator and solar panel for light to orphanage “Enfant Haitien, mon frère” in Port-au-Prince and Little sisters of the poor in Fond Baptiste (Haiti).
Provided shelter and meals to 15 “Haitian Boat People” during a period of 2 ½ months.
Our choir group “La Chorale des Gens Heureux” entertains such places as nursing Home for the elderly, at mother’s day and at Christmas time.
The following years we continued such an important mission by helping both active Associations of Scouts and Girl Guides of Haiti with their needs and their aid to the Haitian community during the hurricanes “Jane” and others, especially in the Gonaïves area and the North West of Haiti.
CASEGHA-USA is a member of the Central Branch of the International Scout and Guide Fellowship and has participated since 1979 up to now to all the World Conference of the ISGF, starting with its first delegation to Bergen, Norway.
CASEGHA-USA received in New York the visit of 3 of the coordinators of the Central Branch: Robert Stoessel, Ines Levine and Colette Annaert.
CASEGHA-USA put out on a regular basis its newsletter, which is now called “Entre-Nous”. This publication keeps our members who reside out of New York informed of all our monthly activities and are mentioned in our yearly calendar.
Every year CASEGHA-USA organizes bus tours in the USA, and sometimes overseas, especially after attending a World Conference.
We own our office and meeting place located at 218-46 Hempstead Avenue in Queens Village, N. Y. 11429 since 1980. Our phone number and Fax number are the same (718) 464-0505 and our e-mail address: info@caseghausa.org
Baden Powell
“look wide, and even when you think you are looking wide, look wider still!”