Wendall (Shine) Hayward said one of the reasons that he is participating in this weekend?s events is because he wanted to have a proper celebration of his 50th birthday. He said he didn?t celebrate his 40th birthday in the manner in which he wanted to.

But he didn?t want assistance from friends ? it was something he felt he had to plan for himself.

During the planning process he stumbled across the MS International Federation, which started an initiative in 2003 called the MS International Global Dinner.

?What it does is joins MS Societies and supporters to raise funds and awareness both locally and internationally to search for the cause and cure of the disease,? he said.

?It is an event that could be held by friends, neighbours, colleagues, relatives in the home or a hall and instead of bringing gifts to the host, they make a donation to the fight against MS. All those funds are then sent to the MS International Federation.?

Ever since Mr. Hayward (pictured above) started the planning, the MS International Federation decided to make him the contact person for others who want to host a MS Global Dinner in the future.

?The MS Global Dinner usually takes place on February 25, but it doesn?t have to be on that night, but around that time,? he said.

?When I contacted them to tell them that I hosting the event for Global Dinner, they then forwarded me the application form and the required information. But then the level at which I am having mine is much larger than people who are doing it in their homes with maybe ten or a dozen people ? I hope to cater to at least a couple of hundred people.

?So, it will be conducted on a much larger scale and they have become really excited. So I am using my event to jump start and to encourage other people in Bermuda to maybe use their homes and to keep the cure and cause of MS in mind.

?They are looking at making me the point person in Bermuda with regards to the Global Dinner Party. So in the future I will put out a plea to people in Bermuda who have an interest or a concern for people who have MS and would like to contribute.

?It doesn?t even necessarily have to be a dinner. It can be an organised film evening, quiz night or concert, but the emphasis of the night should somehow be of MS.?

Many of the Island?s finest musicians and singers will take part in this weekend?s two-part event.

?The Bermuda Jazz Ensemble, the Milton Robinson Quartet, the Bermuda Allstar Band, which is under the direction of Robert Edwards, Lace, Tempe, Chas & Jennifer, a violin duo, Dawn?s Limbo, Jahstice, Gita Blakeney, Lillian?s Prophetic Dance, Joy Barnum, Sia Spence, Salsa Review, Bermuda African Dancers, Prestege and the special guest is June Ventzos,? said Mr. Hayward.

The first event will take place at Happy Hour on Friday at the CedarBridge Academy. The second will take place at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel and will be a black-tie Jazz Supper affair.

?On the first night we have lined up local bands and entertainers to have what would be a musical marathon so to speak,? said the saxophonist.

?I am getting each of them to give me a half hour presentation and that will be the entertainment. That is going to be the gist of that evening.

?We also have some really nice raffles that are coming through from businesses that I?ve either worked for or had an association with over the years. There will also be a video presentation about MS.?

This event is also in support of the Shine Hayward Scholarship Fund. The aim of the scholarship is to afford a student the opportunity to study at the Berkelee School of Music for a period of seven weeks.

?Most scholarships today, especially music scholarships, are set up in the name of a musician who made a contribution to music and who has now passed away,? he said.

?And many times the recipients do not know the person from Adam, probably have never touched them or shaken their hand.

?The scholarships have been set up posthumously, but I would like to think that there could be a scholarship under the name of Shine Hayward that can be awarded to a student right now and I can make that donation to that recipient in person.?

The second night will take the form of the Jazz Suppers that Mr. Hayward was famous for in the 1980s and early 1990s.

?We will have our cocktail hour, where there will be music and then the dinner where there will also be music.

?The music on this night will not just be background music, the music is just as important and the two will complement each other. It will be on par with a jazz supper club.

?These musicians do not play background music while you are eating, these entertainers are on show. The music will be playing a major part of the evening, so we will be relying on the Fairmont Southampton to prepare a meal that complements the music. For me, maybe the music will be background to the meal.

?Also there will be an auction of a portrait of myself, which is being painted by Vernon Clarke.?

When asked whether he would be relaxing or playing on Saturday night, he said: ?That I am not sure of. I have been saying, ?it is my birthday, do I have to play?? And I have been getting mixed reactions and some say of course you have to play it?s your birthday, and others are saying chill out and allow yourself to be entertained.?