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Caribbean District News Desk WINNERS’ ROW
Oratorical winners: Left to Right Juevel Hutton, Aaron Ifill, Romario Griffith, Nia Marshall, Chadeaux Roberts & Kristina Davis
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
See inside for more details & more winners
Stay connected
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Contests winners
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Service Projects
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JUNE 2
Voting begins
Working with JOOI 10 A Surreal Experience
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Logo Contest
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Contact Us
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Remember to cast your VOTES . Show our support for PIVP ADRIAN ELCOCK FOR INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Barbican Pines Optimist Club Caribbean District
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Optimist Club of Barbados, Bridgetown Optimist Club of Barbados North Optimist Club of Cross Roads Optimist Club de Ste Lisi Optimist Club of Harbour View Jamaica Optimist Club of North Padmore Optimist Club of North St. Andrew Optimist Club of UWI, Mona Progressive Optimist Club of Barbados Rising Optimist Club of Moneague Royal Optimist Club of Kingston, The (R.O.C.K) South Circle Optimist Club St. Ann’s Bay Optimist Club
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Sunset Optimist Club of Kingston
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Darshani@jillandee.com
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CCDHH “How my passions impact the world”
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he Caribbean District staged yet another successful Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing on Saturday 12th April 2014. Those members who were in attendance were treated to scintillating performances from the eight participants who competed fiercely for the coveted US$2,500 scholarship plus many other exciting prizes.
Winners
The eight participants
1st Place
Rackeem Lewars
Sponsored by:
OC of Sunset, Kingston Jamaica
2nd Place:
Shana-Kay Goodman
Sponsored by: OC of North, St. Andrew Jamaica Optimists were left satisfied and impressed with the presen3rd Place: Owayne Downer tations of the students, but it was the members of the OptiSponsored by: NHP-Emancipation OC, Jamaica mist Club of Sunset Kingston who had the most to smile about. Their sponsored entrant, sixteen year old Rackeem Lewars, a student of Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf The District sincerely thank CP Margaret Wright and her – Knockpatrick, Mandeville, was named the winner of the team for a job well done in organizing this contest. contest. The attendees, the other contestants, and the judges all watched in awe as Rackeem spoke so eloquently and passionately about how her passions impact the world. A former winner of the National Spelling Bee Competition for the Deaf, Rackeem exuded confidence as she charismatically pulled her audience to her, taking them on a journey with her passions, while highlighting the successes she has had and identifying what can be done in Jamaica to make it a better place.
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ESSAY “How dreams lead to success”
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ifteen (15) essays qualified for entry into the District Essay Contest, meeting all the required criteria. There were three (3) judges who are all lecturers and nonoptimists who carefully scrutinized all entries to ensure that all the guidelines and regulations were followed. Sadly some clubs were disqualified.
A bit of housekeeping: The deadline to submit to Optimist International was April 15, 2014 and so the winning essay has been sent. CP Faith McFarquhar-Gordon urges future committees to ensure that deadlines are met to ensure that the efforts of all participating young people may have an equal opportunity .
AND the winners are:
1st Place
Trey Cumberbatch
Sponsored by:
OC of Barbados, Bridgetown
2nd Place
Amouy Palmer
Sponsored by:
OC of Rio Nuevo North, Jamaica
3rd Place
Loren Thomas
Sponsored by:
OC of Kensington, Jamaica
Overall, the quality of the essays was of a high standard and it was a very close competition. Congratulations to all top winners and their sponsor clubs.
Pictured here is winner, Trey Cumberbatch reading his winning essay on the Morning Barbados television show which was broadcast across Barbados.
Clubs were asked to invite the respective winners to a meeting to read their essays to the members in recognition of their efforts and to make this a grand affair. By inviting parents, teachers, etc to the meeting as well. For Trey’s effort, he is now the winner of a US$2,500 scholarship to a tertiary institution of his choice.
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ORATORICAL “How my passions impact the world�
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he District Oratorical Final 2014 was a definite success. The contest was held at the Norman Manley Lecture Theatre at UWI Mona on Saturday 26th April 2014, and brought together participants from Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Cayman Island and host country Jamaica. The audience of Optimists, friends of optimist, parents, teachers and well wishers were thrilled as the eight female and six male participants spoke passionately on the topic "How my passions impact the world".
Special thanks to Chairperson Jason Gilead (Antigua) and his co-chairs Marcia Street-Hendrick (Jamaica) and Mer- The judges had a tough time figuring out the top three spots lene Hercules (Barbados), who all worked tirelessly to en- on both sides....yes, the competition was that keen. At the end of it all the judges saw it this way: sure all went off without a hitch. Male:
1st Place
Romario Griffith
Sponsored by:
Progressive OC of Barbados
2nd Place:
Aaron Ifill
Sponsored by:
OC of Barbados, South
3rd Place:
Juevel Hutton
Sponsored by:
OC Sunset Kingston, Jamaica
Female: The Participants
1st Place:
Nia Marshall
Sponsored by:
OC of Barbados, Central
2nd Place:
Chadeaux Roberts
Sponsored by:
OC of Spanish Town, Jamaica
3rd Place:
Kristina Davis
Sponsored by:
OC of Anguilla
Both Nia and Romario, in addition to their $2,500 USD scholarships each received a Samsung tablet as part of their prize package. Winners Romario, Nia & Aaron being interviewed on live television in Barbados on the Morning Barbados Show
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Click to view their speeches: Nia & Romario
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SERVICE PROJECTS Progressive OC of Barbados
Easter Fun Day Once again, the Progressive Optimist Club of Barbados hosted the rural families that the club has adopted to an Easter Fun Day. This year, they partnered with the Villages at Coverley to treat the families to a memorable day of fun. The children were treated to various games, face painting, jumping tent and even a magic show! By all accounts both adults and children had a marvelous time.
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SERVICE PROJECTS Progressive OC of Barbados Cementing & Painting Project The optimists of Progressive Optimist Club of Barbados showed what little boys and girls are made of when they rolled their sleeves, pants and everything up to get down and dirty. Their project at the Sayes Court entailed such manual labour as concreting and leveling and putting their abilities to colour within the lines as they drew outlines of Hopscotch and a road tennis court. Much fun was had on this project and looking at the girls with the umbrellas, one is inclined to think that girls are indeed made from sugar and spice and everything nice!
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KNOWLEDGE DID YOU KNOW?
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DID YOU KNOW?
hen we became the Caribbean District the view then was that the 'palm tree' was representa-
tive of the Caribbean. Several Governors have incorporated the palm tree in their logo as that unifying bond. Others may have left it out as they may not have known the genesis of the tree.” This is a point to ponder as our artists begin the process of creating our logo for next year. The editorial team of the monthly newsletter thanks the past Governor who submitted this information and we encourage others to send through tidbits to be published in our “Did You Know? Corner.
2013-2014 OI Bylaws As Adopted by Convention – July 2013 Extracted from page 7. VII SECTION 4. District Convention. A convention of the Clubs in each District shall be held between August 1 and September 30 on such dates and at such location as shall be determined by the District Board of Directors. The convention city shall be determined by a vote of the accredited delegates at the District convention for as many years in advance not exceeding five years, as may be deemed necessary. The District Board of Directors shall have power to substitute another city in the event circumstances later make such action necessary or advisable. The District Secretary-Treasurer shall issue and cause to be delivered to each member Club in the District an official call for the annual convention at least 30 days prior to the date thereof, in which notice the time and place of the holding of said annual convention shall be set forth. Knowledge is power. Visit and read the bylaws that guide all that we do click here
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JOOI Columbus Preparatory School Chillin’ day before GSAT
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SERVICE PROJECTS Pride of Barbados OC Cooking Workshop
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ride and The Girls Industrial Union came together to host a four (4) day workshop for the kids of the St. Ambrose School. The workshop is being held on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 12 noon.
In addition to learning how to bake various pastries, the kids are being taught kitchen etiquette and how to decorate and present their treats. It was encouraging to see a few boys in attendance. From all accounts, the kids are having a great time and they are truly proud of what they are accomplishing thus far.
This program goes beyond its educational benefits to the children. On the final day of the workshop, the kids will be showing off what they have learnt by baking up a storm and offering their treats for sale to parents/guardians and invited guest to raise funds for their school.
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A Surreal Experience On being a Chaperone (1)
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magine taking your God given child, your little flower who you would do just about everything in your power to ensure his/her safety and wellbeing. Imagine having to entrust said child into the care of a total stranger for a few days to a foreign country …scary! Imagine being the chaperone to face four sets of such parents wearing that kind of responsibility on your shoulder. Terrified, petrified, or scared stiff were some of what I felt but despite my apprehensions, what with my height and all, I embraced the opportunity to travel to Jamaica with our Barbados contingent and oh, what a wondrous journey it was! My rules were simple, first safety, second, be great ambassadors and third, have fun.
While leaving Scotchies, Romario tried to tease Nia and walked right into a light post with a loud bang! His first words were “I can’t remember my speech”. With no nurse in residence just to scare me, Romario nursed his “bump” with an ice-pack. During rehearsals later though, he spoke with a passion – a passion we had never seen in him. The rest they say, is history.
Being shorter than all my charges turned out to be quite amusing. Once, when Daddy directed the waitress to give me the bill, she looked rather befuddled. Another time Gov. Nutilia stopped by to say hello to the children, me among them, and enquired after Darshani – more confusion. All said, the Our contingent included four students, Nia, Tamy-Rose, Aa- children were graceful about my height. ron & Romario, one Daddy and myself. (I will refer to the Nerves on competition day resulted in half eaten Jamaican parent as Daddy for due to my height, too many times he was assumed to be the Daddy of our lot). Our adventure started at the Grantley Adams Int’l airport itself. At check-in, we learnt that Nia, Tammy & Aaron were travelling business class while mere plebeians like Romario, Daddy and I were riding E-class. Though the VIPs didn’t make us forget it, we wanted them to have a full experience and so decided to show Romario’s sad face to allow us into the VIP lounge but in the end, we showed Daddy’s face and were successful. On our first night, Daddy and I took the children to Scotchies for an exquisite introduction to the famous Jamaican Jerk chicken. Aaron’s system was so badly shocked by the spices, he sweated beads! I recall him literally walking around on his tippy toes, wiping away at the perspiration and still insisting in devouring every last bite of his jerk chicken. 12 bottles of fantastic coconut water later, we were satiated.
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A Surreal Experience On being a Chaperone (2) breakfasts but not even half filled stomachs, plumbing issues or sleep deprivation were enough to stop my wards from showing up with a sartorial splendor that left me both breathless and proud. Here they were, taking the world on with unrivalled savoir faire. Having observed the children during their professional coaching sessions and seeing their evolvement from the Zone to the District level, the only feeling I felt was a “metallic tide in my chest” as they each took to the lectern. As three out of four received top placements, there was nothing short of a loud inward screaming to register such a glorious finish. My feelings, ineffable.
It would be ignoble of me to exclude the usual warm Jamaican hospitality and so I must make special mention of our driver Charles, who epitomized hospitality. Before we drove away from the airport on arrival, he prayed for our safety and successes and on parting , he thanked God for our safety and successes. Once, we were late for our scheduled pick up and when we didn’t call, he became worried. He called and expressed relief that we were fine. Then he chastised me for making him worry. He was wondering if we were lost, hurt, in pain, in trouble… bless his cotton socks. I could go on to tell about the awe inspiring time we shared at the Bob Marley Museum, our attempt at understanding local dialect at the theatre, discovery of the controversial statues at Independence square, indecision of flavor choosing at Devon House or even our musings at the sights of traveling with Sean Paul, Lil Rick and Shaggy but I would have to leave that for another time… Our local Oratorical committee advised that I would be the adult on board, to ensure the children’s safety and to show them a memorable time. On the face of it, it sounded like it was about providing a life changing experience to the children but it wasn’t so. What an amazing adventure it was for me too! I watched the children move from strength to strength and moved from being total strangers to what promised to be lifelong friends. This was a trip that reminded me what being an Optimist means. I would like thank CP Mobola Aguda and the rest of the Oratorical team for this priceless opportunity and for a sterling job at organizing the Eassy and Oratorical contests both in Barbados and our travels to Jamaica and arranging a winners’ welcome home. Our journey unfolded like a beautiful flower with each preplanned aspect. I would also like to thank all of my Optimist friends in Jamaica for your usual warmth which always make me plan for the next trip on my way home. (by Optimist Darshani Workman)
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LOGO Design Competition 2014/15 District Logo Design Competition The theme for the Caribbean District in 2014/15 is Step by Step. GE Barbara & her DST Jason are inviting you to submit your design. The winning entry may be chosen for use on our District pins and on the 2014/15 letterhead. We know that the Caribbean District has an abundance of talent in our JOOI, College and Adult Clubs. Please encourage your members to get busy quickly and submit their designs. Each person can submit as many as 5 designs and they MUST be sent to ALL 5 email addresses below. Send to: 2014/15 DST Jason Newsletter Chair 2014/15 Team Members Kerisha Nicholas GE Barbara
dstjasongilead@gmail.com darshani@jillandee.com k_pinnock_2@yahoo.com ylnickgospel@gmail.com barbaraarrindell@yahoo.com
Deadline Sunday 18th May 2014 You have just over two weeks. Ensure that you submit in a format suitable for reproduction. Your design may include theme words and or OI logo. Expose your talents to the world and make your club proud.
Transferring membership is as easy as 1-2-3: 1. The member transferring needs to be deleted from the club he is leaving. 2. The new club adds him to the roster with a $5 processing fee sent to OI. 3. Club Roster Adjustment Form can be sent to OI or emailed to bakerc@optimist.org indicating change. (Include member’s information on the CRA form and check “Transfer”. IF the member is a Life Member, indiCARIBBEAN DISTRICT N EWS DESK cate on the CRA. Transfers cannot be done online)
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Online Elections Slate of Candidates Announced
Your Club’s right to vote for the Optimist International President, Board Directors and Vice Presidents just got easier. The delegates of the 2013 International Convention adopted a Bylaws amendment to allow each and every Optimist Club to vote for International officers online from June 1 through June 30. The slate of candidates has been announced for the organization’s first online election that will take place during the month of June. The candidates are:
President-Elect: Melvin Bannister (Columbia, South Carolina) Dave Bruns (Topeka, Kansas)
Vice Presidents-Elect: Region 1 Northeast & Great Lakes: Anne Donkers (Williamstown, Ontario) Region 2 Southeast: James Adams (Montgomery, Alabama) Region 3 Mid-Atlantic: Barbara Timmons (Rolesville, North Carolina) Region 4 Middle America: Robert Floyd (El Dorado Springs, Missouri) Region 5 Great Plains: Mark Claussen (Norfolk, Nebraska) Region 6 Southwest: Albert Clark (Fort Worth, Texas) Region 7 West Coast: Linda Jackson (Boise, Idaho) and Charlie Pease (Lyons, Colorado) Region 8 St. Lawrence: Luc Dubois (Sherbrooke, Quebec)
Board of Directors Members (2 to be elected): Judy Boyd (Urbandale, Iowa) Don Brose (Clarkston, Michigan) Sue Creswell (Reading, Pennsylvania)
Adrian Elcock (St. Thomas, Barbados) Esthermarie Hillman (Tucson, Arizona)
Purposes of Optimism
To develop optimism as a philosophy of life utilizing the tenets of the Optimist Creed;
Optimist International Caribbean District
to promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs;
to inspire respect for the law;
to promote patriotism and work for international accord and friendship among all
The Secretariat
people;
36 1/2 Lyndhurst Road,
Kingston 10
to aid and encourage the development of
Phone: 1-246-836-9005
youth, in the belief that the giving of one’s
Skype:
self in service to others will advance the
darshaniworkman
E-mail: Darshani@jillandee.com Whatsapp: 1-246-836-9005
well-being of humankind, community life and the world.
Bringing Out the Best In Kids We’re on the web! http://oicaribbean.wix.com/ caribbeandistrict#!
Barbados, Bridgetown Elections Result The Optimist Club of Barbados Bridgetown held its election for the 2014/15 year on 29th April, 2014 and the following people are hereby elected to office:
President Designate
Darshani Workman
President Elect
Carol Haynes
Vice President
Safiyah Robinson
Vice President
Zendorph Ellis
2 Yr Directors
Michelle Kirton Michael James Rodney Drakes
CONGRATULATIONS ALL
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