Rosa’s Helps Send Young Footballer To Sweden

July 15, 2016

[Written by Don Burgess]

Rosa’s has raised more than $1,000 to help send Tokia Russell’s son to a football scouting combine in Sweden.

Mr. Russell, 38, one of Bermuda’s best footballers, was involved in a traffic accident near Bostock Hill at the end of June and was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor.

Lindsay Durham, Rosa’s manager, said she saw on Facebook that Tanya Darrell was holding a potluck to raise funds for Tokia’s son, Tokia Enrique Russell Jr.

“We saw it and because he’s a rising star in Bermuda, and a national symbol is the Bermuda onion, so we sold Bloomin’ Onions and we gave 100% of what we sold went to Enrique’s trip to Sweden because he is a blooming star for Bermuda.”

Tanya said: “It means a lot to see the amount of support for Enrique and this trip. It’s just amazing. I just can’t thank everybody enough. When Lindsay called, it just blew my mind — I was in tears. I was in shock at such a nice gesture.

“I called Enrique to let him know that something on the menu was going to be dedicated to him.”

Enrique, 16, who plays for PHC Zebras, was a bit teary-eyed.

Rosa’s Help Tokia Russell's son Bermuda July 14 2016  (1)

“It’s nice to know that everyone can support me and everyone can help me now in this terrible time. It helps knowing that I have a lot of support around me. It’s helped me raise enough money to go on this trip and to help my and my daddy’s goal to go professional.”

Enrique left on Wednesday and will be in Sweden until the end of the month attending an invitation-only football combine, which will be seen by a multitude of scouts. Enrique’s skills were noticed at a football camp in Texas, which earned him the nod to go to Sweden.

Ms. Durham said: “I just believe in helping other people that need help. Anything I see that touches my heart, I go to Pam [Quarterly, owner of the Bermuda Restaurants group]. We only had six days to do this but we were able to raise $1,024.50.”

In addition, Ms. Durham said that over the next year, Rosa’s will donate 20% of all sales of Bloomin’ Onions over the next year to further support Enrique and his dreams.

Ms. Quarterly added: “It’s great to help someone who has such aspirations in sports and we want to support Bermudians. This is about our corporate philosophy.

“It’s been a long haul for the last seven years economically for a lot of Bermudians. Our economy has taken a lot of hits and Rosa’s and this company survives on the support of the local community. Our obligation is to have a social responsibility to the community. We have to be working and giving all the time.”

Ms. Durham thanked the Bermuda community, which has rallied around helping Enrique in this endeavor and purchasing the Daddy’s Girl drink which helped raise more than $10,000 for Randy Edwards to get a kidney transplant.

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Comments (6)

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  1. Truth says:

    Big up Rosa’s!

  2. I heart 441 says:

    Rosa’s seems to always give back to the community.I will def patronize their business more often. Well done Rosa’s

  3. Grizz says:

    Gotta rate Rosa’s! You have been stepping up to the plate for so many people in Bermuda. I pray your business thrives for many years to come! Thank You!!!

  4. Let me just say that even though they may not want to have it said, many in Bermuda appreciate the work and the commitment that both Rosa’s and Chopsticks do for the community in private, and every now and then we get to here about it publicly.

    The outreach to help reach the goal for Daddy’s girl was off the chain and now to see to it that this young aspiring and up coming World Star in football takes the next step to reaching his destiny, goes beyond words and well wishes.

    Many may have forgotten a story did sometime ago, how a young mother who did not have enough money to pay for food for her and her family, was blessed by Ms. Durham’s generosity, and Ms.Durham’s quote was I know how you feel , I have been were you are, so to Ms. Durham keep on shining in the corner just were you are, because you are making a difference in the lives of so many, as we do our part in were we are.

    Now to the person who does not want recognition or much said about her or her family, I once worked as a kitchen porter years ago, so many years ago your children was in diapers, chopsticks was across the street and I was a young man who needed guidance and help from a very destructive path.

    Ms. Roach may not remember me because at that time she did what she does now and mostly works behind the scene, the woman who kept it all together as a company and still does to this day, but Mr. Roach my former employer who tell’s me “Call him John”, was a man that had split personalities but knew how to help when needed. so I am a first hand account what this family has secretly done behind the scenes for years, and amazingly I met their son after all these years just a few weeks back, and he is the splitting image of his father, both in look’s and his personality, but most of all got the family spirit.

    They all truly appreciate that their success did not come from just their business initiative, but truly by their staff that continues to make them shine, so to The Roach Family I say thank’s for continuing to make Bermuda stay the Bermudians we have always been but in some case’s in this day, hard to find.

    Those diaper wearing politicians on the hill that were children back then and some in college, and some just starting out in politics, can take a read your story and hopefully redirect their paths.

  5. Bermudian Blood says:

    Rosas well done. I am so happy that a company thinks of others. You all are going to be blessed. I pray that people remember that you guys give back to the community. I have heard more and more about you giving back in the last few years and it is not unnotices.

    Talking to my family memebers they said the owner fosters children and helps feed the homeless outside of their doors.

    I will come to Rosas more often and will thank you all personally. Amen Rosas and the staff.

  6. Jay Correia says:

    Well done Rosas! Pam and your team deserve a big high five!