GCAO Seniors organizes Educative/Fun Trip to Toronto Island

By Joe Kingsley Eyiah, Toronto

On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, about 50 members of the Seniors Wing of the GhanaianCanadian Association of Ontario (GCAO), led by Madam Felicia Botchwey and Mr Abeeku Vandyke, had the opportunity to visit the renovated Toronto Island. Under bright and beautiful weather, two school buses full of seniors from the Ghanaian community set off from the Scarborough and Jane/Wilson areas of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to the Downtown Toronto Waterfront. They boarded a ferry from there to embark on an exciting trip to Toronto Island.

The trip lasted the whole day and saw the seniors walking through the beautiful scenery on Toronto Island. They enjoyed walking as exercise and a variety of foods brought by members.

Calgary Ghana community celebrates Ghana’s 66th Independence

By Bobby Micah, Jr, Calgary, AB

It has become a matter of conventional wisdom to say that when Ghanaians get together, they do so just for the sake of getting together. That rhetorical narrative cannot be farther from the truth.

On March 18, 2023, the Ghanaian Canadian Association of Calgary, GCAC, hosted an event to celebrate Ghana’s 66th Independence Anniversary and to officially dedicate the newly Ghana House to the public. The event was well organized and professionally handled to the admiration of all.

For the first time as I can remember the event was sold out and people who could not or *did* not (purchased) tickets on time were turned away at the door. The action reverberated across the corridors and signaled that there is a new sheriff in town. Adherence to time is now the order of the day. No more “African time”.

To kick off the evening program, the attendees were given a grand tour of the facility by the executives of the GCAC, under the able leadership of Dr. Charles Anim Odame-Ankrah, showcasing the upper floor which houses two functional offices, a washroom, a digital library, the Youth Centre and a common reception with giant televisions and an office kitchen. The lower part of the building consisted of two additional offices, a reception, a senior’s lounge with a giant television, a coffee station, men and women’s handicapped accessible washrooms, a commercial kitchen and the dance hall which was neatly decorated by Ms. Eva, the Creative Director of Golden LuXee Décor & Events.

The evening program started on time with prayers by Rev. Veronica McNeil with Bobby J as the master of ceremony.

An appetizing and delicious dinner of various Ghanaian dishes, courtesy of Aunty Lizzy was promptly served to the delight of all.

The indefatigable and prodigiously hardworking impresario of the Adehyemanmma dance Ensemble, Mrs. Margaret Osei Boateng led her group to a variety of authentic adowa dances as per of their repertoire for the evening. This was followed by kpanlogo drumming from the Ayefenotse drummers.

Mrs. Margaret Adu, the Honorary Consul General and past president of GCAC spoke at length and congratulated executives for a job well done. Mr. Farah Ali, the Executive Director of the Calgary African Community Collective, CACC expressed his appreciation and wished the association well as well as Ghana.

Dr. Charles Odame-Ankrah narrated the hurdles the organization had to go through to get to where it is now and admonished the crowd to continue to support the works of GCAC in its pursuit of excellence and desist from being glorified spectators.

The keynote speaker for the evening was the Hon. Jeremy Nixon, the Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services. He started his speech with profound history of Ghana and its achievements to the present. He did his homework well and encouraged the association to tap into the numerous grants available for community development. He promised to help us achieve that objective.

Dr. Patrick Adda spearheaded the fundraising part of the evening program and did very well as members and well wishers gave generously beyond their liberalities.

DJ Omar carried the evening thereafter into the midnight.