By Bennette Roach
Miss Dagriee Wilson of Brades, Montserrat, realised a dream come true when she cut the ribbon to her new home of Beauty Plus Salon on Brades main road, in Cudjoe Head, only yards away from where she operated for several years past. A dream that Bishop Melroy Meade who was the master of ceremonies at a brief dedication of the Salon, described from his “own experience”, “it’s been hard work and many sleepless nights…”
The opening event took place at 5.30p.m. on Monday, April 17, 2017 at Brades, where a small gathering witnessed Dagriee cut the ribbon to her building following a brief ceremony with family, colleagues, patrons, well-wishers and friends, who heard Bishop Meade say, “…welcome all of you and trust that this short ceremony would be one which would make some sense,” followed by prayers where he thanked God, “for your goodness, we thank you for your mercy, we thank you God for your blessings … we pray God for what will convene here this evening…”
Former Government Minister of Communications & Works, Charles Kirnon is a close neighbor of Dagriee, spoke next and said: “Dagriee Wilson, my next-door neighbor, my friend, while most people go into the Diaspora, there’s a saying that they go for self-betterment; I think Dagriee has proven just that.”
He too spoke of her hard work he has seen, “the hours she has worked night and day, for hard work kills no one, but it gains success. And what we have here today is product of that hard work,” he said, recalling when she started and how small it was and what she has grown it.
The former Minister concluded with a toast before which he shared: “She was a woman on a mission and I believe this is part of the accomplishment of that mission which does not end here I’m sure. The writer that says, “the heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight but they while their companions slept were toiling upward in the night,” he said is quite applicable to Dagriee Wilson. “I pray God that your continue to grow from strength to strength God Bless you.”
Before Fr Vyphius offered prayers of dedication, a longtime patron as she describes herself. Mrs. Cynthia Dyett offered congratulations to Dagriee “on the opening of this new establishment.” Suggesting, “Dagriee has been experiencing some different kinds of stress as a woman dealing with construction, but she has endured and we are now here to enjoy with her, her new environment.”
She continued: “Dagriee normally tries to give us the best customer care that she can and we should be proud as customers that she wants better for herself and for her customers. I know God would continue to bless her, bless you Dagriee,” adding, “…as you go forward with new progress will come new challenges – but I know with her dedication and her attitude for work, a hard worker… we’re looking forward to your service and we’re all looking forward to this new environment like you and I know we’ll enjoy it.”
Before Dagriee said thanks, Fr. Vyphius offered prayers of dedication. “…If we do our work well whatever it may be and offer it to God we purify ourselves and through the labor of our own hands and minds we build up Gods creation. Our work enables us to practice charity and to help the less fortunate… Let us bless the Lord and pray that he will shower his blessings on all those who work in this place,” he prayed.
Following his blessing and sprinkling of the building, Fr. Vyphius declared the building open, upon which the Salon owner cut the ribbon circling the front doors.
Originally from Guyana, Miss Wilson who told TMR she first arrived in Montserrat in 1999 and immediately began providing hair care styling and products, recalls while giving thanks to Mrs. Nadine Tuitt a long standing and still operating hairdresser in Manjack, for her encouragement and support.
The Salon operative owner upon cutting the ribbon said thanks to those who joined with her at the ceremony. She was brief, undoubtedly anxious to show off the inside of her full-service salon said, “I would like to say thank you to everybody that is here, thank you to all my loyal customers over the years, new customers, well wishers, persons who give me kind words encouragement. Thank you to everybody for being here thank you,” as she led the way to what you can see a sample of in the photos here.
