Local Church Hosts Mechanical Bull-Riding Contest To Benefit Three Cancer Patients

ST. CROIX — Friday night would normally be dedicated to the youth of Victorious Believers Ministries, shepherded by Reginald Perry. But last night, church members and visitors alike focused on an issue equally as important: raising funds for three cancer patients — two from within the ministry and another from the community — to help them fight the disease responsible for cutting short the lives of so many on this island.

This year’s fundraiser saw participants riding a mechanical bull and trying to stay on as long as possible. The winners would have outlasted the competition and receive trophies and other gifts on the following Sunday morning. There were various teams represented at the event, differentiated by colored t-shirts with each color representing a different type of cancer.

It was the ministry’s fourth annual cancer awareness occasion as well. Led by Jenny Perry, the wife of Mr. Perry, two years ago, VMB held an elegant gala at the Divi Carina Bay Resort. Mrs. Perry said while they once focused on a specific cancer, last year the strategy was changed to acknowledge all cancers, a move complimented by the diversity in colors presented at Friday night’s affair.

Victories Believers Ministries hosts mechanical bull-riding contest in effort to raise cancer awareness.

“The three people that we are blessing are two people from within the ministry, and we picked the  other out of the community that we actually saw on Facebook, who attends another ministry,” Mrs. Perry, affectionately called Lady P., said. And in relation to raising funds, Mrs. Perry said participants of last night’s competition had to pay to be on the team and also purchase their t-shirts. There was food on sale as well as an item for raffle — all going towards the cancer patients.

Curious as to why Mrs. Perry, who also rode the mechanical bull before conducting the interview, chose to focus on cancer, the ministry’s first lady revealed to The Consortium the personal nature of her fight against the disease which, according to Government House, is the number one killer of women in the territory.

“Cancer is really running rampant,” she said, and it hits home for me, as my mom died of colon cancer. So if we can help somebody else and bring awareness to it, we’re happy with that.” Mrs. Perry also revealed that other individuals in the ministry had taken upon themselves to donate to the cause, with one “October Birthday Club” member (a group of persons within the ministry whose birthdays all fall in October) donating $100 to each of the patients’ gift.

Cancer awareness event aside, VBM has been known for its family-oriented traits and oftentimes comes to the aid of members in need. The nonprofit, according to Mrs. Perry, has designated Monday nights as family night, which sees families turning away from distractions, sitting at the dinner table together and conversing with each other, in an effort to foster stronger relationships and to become more intimately acquainted with the issues faced by individual members of the family.

“Family is important,” Mr. Perry said. “People say, ‘the family that prays together stays together,’ and while that sounds like a cliche, it’s actually true.”

“And that’s how you control bullying and other issues,” Mrs. Perry added, “you get to know what’s happening to your children while at school because you sit, eat, talk, and discuss what happened in your day. It keeps a healthy family, and that’s what we try to do.”

Feature Image: Jenny Perry, first lady VBM.

Image Credit: VIC.