Tampa is already calling

Optimist International vice president - designate for the Southeast region, Sonia Anderson is already rallying the troops for Parallel District Conference this coming November in Tampa, Florida. Here we share from her latest email to the Caribbean District.

My Caribbean Optimist family: I hear your name…Tampa is calling you! After a break last year, Parallel District Conferences are back!  President J.C St Onge believes that it is the best way to maximize our resources and have the best training, great facilities, and of course, fun and fellowship!  I agree with him.

Optimists from North Florida (60), South Florida (61) and the Caribbean (78), will have a joint conference  in Tampa from Friday, November 16 to Sunday, November 18, 2012.  It will be our mini International convention.
In many ways this conference is more affordable than our trips to (the) Caribbean islands for district meetings - if it’s not in your territory. So, it's an opportunity to get pumped up on some Optimism and to get in some shopping - before and after the conference, of course.
Better news still; the conference hotel is The Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore and the rates are per room per night for up to four persons! So you could be spending about $25.00 per night for your hotel room!! Details regarding reservations at the Optimist rate will be announced soon; but note that the hotel has extended its special rate for two days before and after the conference.

Enjoy complimentary transportation to the airport and destinations within a three-mile radius, including over 300 shops and restaurants. Plan a shopping trip to the International Plaza and Bay Street, just across from the hotel, or Westshore Plaza Mall complex, only a mile away.  Tampa also boasts an impressive cultural infrastructure and is home of the famous Busch Gardens. There is much to see and do in Tampa.  In a short while you will be able to go to this link to register and get more information on the PDC:
http://www.optimist.org/PDC/PDCs.cfm#SE13. We encourage you to register online so that we can benefit from the incentives that OI has to offer.  As you get the call indicating that everything is in place, please go ahead and register and also book your hotel room.
Tampa here we come!
One love… as we make a difference one child at a time!

Sonia Anderson
IVPD  South-East Region

Post District Convention 2012 (Two)

Optimist International Caribbean District Installation Ceremony August 25, 2012 at the Sunset Jamaica Grande....

DST Heather, LtGE Paula, DSTD Latoya and LtGE  Claudette

Making a difference - One child at a Time Governor Designate, Lynden Buchanan

LTGE Lou-Ann and CP Norman 

PIVP Jim doing his thing

Post District Convention 2012 (One)

I am just now getting around to a post on the Caribbean District Convention 2012; now I don't even know where to start. Anyway, I am going to do a few installments on this one; starting with the fun and fellowship which kicked off the weekend conference Friday evening (August 24), the Governor's reception.

Sunset Kingston

This was a Jamaica50 themed event and what a wonderful exposition of talent within our Optimist clubs there was! 

Golden Lydford

IPG Joe

Sunset Kingston had a suite of Jamaican folk songs with the dramatic CP Faith out front, President Claude of UWI Mona shared his own sonnet on Jamaica at Fifty, and Kingston was represented by master drummer CP Trevor. Not to be done were the representatives of Monegue, Mammee Bay, and the special skit prepared by Golden Lydford - all of whom had to compete with IPG Joe (Bridgetown-Barbados) who offered up
the Miss Lou classic Love Letta. 
Friend of Optimist Benny and retiring Sergeant@Arms Clive Savage made sure the comedy had its share of the night and it was just sheer fun to see and hear Jamaican folk songs done in standard English.

Yours truly had the privilege of guiding the evening's proceedings as Master of Ceremonies.

Caribbean Optimists Meet in Ocho Rios, Jamaica

MORE THAN a hundred Optimists from across the Caribbean are expected to bring their special brand of positive living to the tourist town of Ocho Rios, Jamaica this weekend, August 24 – 26. The Optimists will be in town for the 21st Convention of the Caribbean District when delegates will, among other things, review the administrative year of Governor Dwight Phillips and install the 2012-2013 team of Lynden Buchanan.

The Caribbean District comprises Optimist clubs across the English-speaking Caribbean - from Bahamas in the north to Barbados in the south. The movement is known for its strong tradition in serving children of vulnerable communities.  Optimist programmes are focused on HIV-AIDS, Cancer, and the deaf and hard-of-hearing, as well as the creation of opportunities and services for young people to grow and develop in confidence through scholarship activities such as oratorical and essay contests. 

The weekend is filled with possibilities for delegates to not only grow in Optimism but also have great fun and fellowship.  The Governor's reception kicks off the weekend on Friday night with a celebratory Jamaica 50 package of entertainment; and among the highlights for Saturday are the training sessions to be carried out by internationally recognized trainers including Past International Vice President Jim Oliver. The convention will be held at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort & Spa. Optimists and friends who cannot make the Convention may join us for a live stream at http://www.livestream.com/oicaribbeandistrict. Caribbean Optimists, thinking only of the best; working only for the best; and expecting only the best.

Excited and powered for District Convention - DST Heather

OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL Caribbean District Secretary-Treasurer, Heather Chin-Walker is making it known that the up-coming District convention set for Ocho Rios this August 24 weekend is going to be nothing but "exciting, informative, and memorable". The convention is in fact shaping up be 100% that... and then some!  We should all be channeling our inner DST who says she is: excited and powered up! 
Here are a few reminders from the DST at this time:

The Governor's Reception on Friday evening (August 24) will be a an evening of Caribbean culture - Celebrating Jamaica 50.  All islands are expected to be on show.

On Saturday evening (August 25) it will be the Installation ceremony for the 2012-2013 administration. Come on out and cheer on GE Lynden and his team as they prepare to take the baton and lead this wonderful Caribbean District to higher heights.   

Remember you do not need a pass to attend either of these events if you are staying off property.

The Training Sessions are going to be definitively exciting and informative; please attend as many as possible. Lieutenant Governors, Presidents, and Secretary-Treasurers, please ensure that you are in attendance for the training that will equip you to be effective leaders.  
CPA Special: There is a new format to submit CPAs and as such a training session will be conducted on Saturday August 25, 2012 at 2-3:30pm.  We encourage all clubs to ensure that a representative attend this session so we are fully informed of the changes that are effective for this administrative year. 
The fabulous Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort and Spa  is still accepting bookings for this weekend; but note that this will be based on availability of rooms.

The Power of One Caribbean District Convention 2012 is all set and we are ready; so...  
See you there!

The JOOI of Success

This is the time of the year when all kinds of results are out - from GSAT to CSEC to OI competitions; and so it is also a time for celebrating especially with our junior optimists. Here are a few mentions from JOOI Chair Lisa-Gaye and DST Heather worth cheering about:

• JOOI Caribbean District Governer, Tidjan Simpson at CAPE
• JOOI International Board Committee Member from Anguilla, Cordane Richardson, received 15 Ones for CXC.
• JOOI LtG, Jose Vanterpool - 15 Ones and 1 two

The JOOI Optimist International's Reading Competition

• 1st place - Fortis Octagon Club of Kingston College (Sunset Optimist Club of Liguanea)
• 2nd place - Octagon Club of Wolmer's Boys (Optimist Club of Harbour View)
• 3rd place - Independence City Primary Junior Optimist (Optimist Club of Portmore North)

Heartiest congratulations to these clubs and individual members and we look forward to hearing the other success stories across the Caribbean.
Stories like these:

Sunset Liguanea sending out congratulations to 2011/2012 Essay Competition Entrant & Zone 4 Rep Paige Farquharson who aced the GSAT Examinations and will be attending Wolmers High School  for Girls come September!!

Zone 4 ready for Q4 meetings

THE OI-7804 family has been an awesome force over the last three quarters. As the family heads into the final zone and district meetings for the 2011-2012 year we are on a high. The members are indeed geared up and ready to do everything we can to ensure that our clubs, zone and district finish the Power of one hundred percent and then some year, stronger and better. One of the highlights of this last quarter is the Zone meeting.

The Q4 Zone meeting is on for Saturday, August 18, 2012 starting at 2:30 pm at the St Paul's Church Hall in  Cross Roads. Those of us who are yet to make a zone meeting are expected to make the special effort to join the regulars so our family gathering will be the strongest ever. The long-awaited Optimism Awareness Quiz should be fun and learning all rolled into one; and the special workshop on preparing for the Community Project Awards should auger well for the clubs in our zone. The Q4 Zone meeting is being hosted by Kingston Breakfast.

Also, coming up in this quarter is The Power of One District Convention 2012 from Friday August 24 to Sunday August 26 at Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort and Spa, Ocho Rios. We are ready for that too! All our clubs are working to field full strength delegations. The annual conventions are must-attend events for their excellence in fellowship and training as well as the always-exciting Governors reception which this year carries the Jamaica50 theme.  Of course, there is the high energy installation ceremony for the 2012-2013 admininistration to be led by Governor-designate Lynden Buchanan. Among the special guests for Convention 2012 are Jamaica's Minister of Youth and Culture, Lisa Hanna and Past International Vice President Jim Oliver.

It's a great time to be an Optimist.

Zone 4
One one coco full basket - Harnessing the power of one