5th Tuesday - GAMES NIGHT SOCIAL

On the 5th Tuesday of any month the Rotary Club of Montego Bay replaces their weekly luncheon meeting with a 'social' and  on Tuesday 31 August, Past President Ann Chen Ueker's legendary games nights was the hit of the summer.

With nearly 40 Rotarians and friends in attendance, an enlarged version of Pictionary (a drawing game, where teams have to guess what word their designated 'artisit' is drawing in under a minute) was organised and Rotarians and friends teamed up to battle their way around the game board using flip charts to draw such words as: Indianapolis 500 ; steam roller, plant, Dad. . .

After a competitive battle between the green, yellow, blue and red teams, the red team edged their way ahead and with some lightning fast guesses from husband and wife duo Natasha (Rotary Club of Montego Bay) and Bertram (Rotary Club of Rosehall), their friends Moralda Green and Melaine Myrie they shouted the loudest, guessed first and WON !

A super evening of cocktails, light fare and competition enjoyed by all .

Past President Ann Chen Ueker explains the rules
whilst husband Steven shows the game board

Team YELLOW start the ball rolling

Team BLUE in competitive form

An "all play" where artists from each team compete,
all drawing the same word for their team to guess

Hear no evil - Speak no evil - See no evil

Team GREEN in guessing mode captained by President Mexine

The winning RED team.
L - R Moralda Green. Rotarian Bertram Clarke,
Melaine Myrie, Rotarian Natasha Parchment-Clarke

NEW GENERATIONS CHAIR MOTIVATES ROTARACT CLUB OF MOBAY COM COLLEGE

New Gen Chair Andrea Hamilton gives words of encouragement

New Generations Chair Andrea Hamilton gave a motivational speech to the newly installed executive committee of The Rotaract Club of Montego Bay Community College at a short and sweet installation ceremony held by The Rotaract Club of Montego Bay at Pier One on Wed 25 Aug 2010.

Newly elected President Brett Lee promised a change in the way people look at the club ; an increase in active members and more island wide inter-clubbing as well as a mentorship programme with their sponsoring club the Rotary Club of Montego Bay East.

A truly encouraging gathering of 40+ young professionals , together on a damp evening in ‘service above self’ !

Left - right: Rotaract Club of MBCC Pres. Brett , Rotaract Club of Mobay Pres. Leon , Rotary Club of Mobay New Gen Chair Andrea , Rotary Club of Mobay East member Kurt . Rotaract Club of MBCC Staff Advisor Oneil 

All members of the executive committee of the Rotaract Club of Mobay Com Coll

plus Rtn Andrea and Rotaract Club of Mobay Pres. Leon (far left)

PHOTOS OF INSTALLATION

Shaniek Parks : Jamaican Ambassadorial Scholar in Leeds, UK

To further international understanding and goodwill is one reason Shaniek Parks will travel to Leeds in September. She will be doing an MA in International Communications at the University of Leeds, this will allow her to become more informed about the impact of communication on global affairs, people and their reactions towards societal issues. She is intrigued by the area of Communications as a developmental tool and its impact on the ways people analyze and relate to situations.

Shaniek graduated from the University of the West Indies, Mona in 2008. While at UWI, she majored in Media and Communication and minored in International Relations. She was a member of the UWI Honour Roll and the received the JN/CARIMAC Media Award for excellence in Radio Production. She had the opportunity of interning with two influential development organizations namely; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Office for the Caribbean and the Roving Caregivers Programme in St. Vincent in 2007 and 2008 respectively. These organizations introduced her to a plethora of opportunities for societal development and strengthened her passion of making the world a better place through service.

Volunteerism has always been an important part of Shaniek’s life. This appreciation for volunteerism dates back to her time at the Mount Alvernia High School where students had to complete a quota for community service. She was later given the opportunity to be instrumental in the planning and execution of the Protect. Stop. Seek. Talk (P.S.S.T) Campaign Against Physical Abuse in the inner- city community of Torrington Park, Kingston while attending the UWI. The campaign ran from February-April 2008 and featured various workshops and follow- up sessions culminating in a Blue Ribbon Drive at Crossroads, Kingston.

At present, Shaniek is member of the Rotaract Club of Montego Bay and a member of the United Nations Online Volunteers (UNV). In her capacity as an online volunteer she has assisted with the formulation of proposals for organizations in various parts of the world. However, her focus has been on assisting organizations in Cameroon, Africa namely the Rural Development Corporation (RUDEC) and the Goodness and Mercy Mission.

Shaniek is excited to be representing District 7020 and the Rotary Club of Montego Bay in Leeds. She is honoured to be joining Rotary’s International Family as an Ambassadorial Scholar and will do well in representing Rotary and its values while in the United Kingdom.

The Rotary Club of Montego Bay wishes her all the best while in the United Kingdom.

Shaniek plans to blog about this new and exciting chapter of her life in Leeds. Go visit her blog at http://adventuresofajamaicanrotaryscholar.blogspot.com/ and leave her a note of encouragement or two!

EarlyAct Club featured in The Rotarian magazine!

The EarlyAct Clubs of Montego Bay, working with the Rotaractors of Montego Bay in October of last year raised over JA$200,000 with their Coin Collection Drive. The funds were raised for the Norwood Basic School in Norwood, Montego Bay. The Rotarian Magazine featured this success in its April 2010 issue of World Round Up.

Congratulations again to the EarlyActors and Rotaractors on this fantastic fundraiser!

Rotary Mobay partners with Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club

Regina Edwards presenting a cheque to The Rotary Club of Montego Bay as part of the Joint Project

As a Joint Project with Rotary Club of Montego Bay, coordinated by International Projects Director PP Bhagwan Chuganey, Past President Regina Edwards of The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club arrived in Jamaica with her family on the 28th of April 2010. She brought with her a large shipment of:

 Medical Equipment & Supplies for Cornwall Regional Hospital;
 Cash & kind ,which included disposable supplies, children's video cassettes, and many other goodies for donation to the West Haven and Blessed Assurance Places of Safety for children;
 Books for contribution to the Literacy Drive

The Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch has partnred with our Club almost every year providing over US$200,000 worth of equipment and medical supplies.

President Michelle pinning Regina Edwards

Past President Regina Edwards of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club took time out from her vacation in Jamaica with her family on the 28th of April to deliver the equipment and supplies and to present a cheque to our Club to complete the project.

Unloading Cargo at the Port

A very special Thanks to The Carnival Conquest who transported the goods from Texas to Montego Bay.


All photos courtesy of Michelle Daswani (c)

GSE Australia Team hosted by the Rotary Club of Montego Bay

L-R: PP & GSE Team Leader Trevor Lynch, Katrina Mason, President Michelle Daswani, Philipp Bourquin, Dayle McGeachie, Scott Johnson and GSE Director Immediate Past President Kay Reuben at Lunch Meeting of the Rotary Club of Montego Bay

At our Lunch meeting on the 27th of April 2010, President Michelle Daswani welcomed the Group Study Exchange Team visiting from Australia. The Team Leader, Past President of the Rotary Club of East Maitland, Australia, Trevor Lynch was presented with a Paul Harris Medallion by our Past President George Palmer.

The Team Leader, PP Trevor Lynch, and each of the other four members of the team gave interesting and informative presentations about themselves, their work, their families, special interests and aspects of Australian geography, life, culture and heritage.

PP Trevor Lynch thanked PP George and the Club for bestowing the Paul Harris Medallion on him. He also thanked the various Hosts of the Team and those who have helped to transport and look after them. He stated that highlights of their stay in Montego Bay have been the Rose Hall Rotary Club's Installation & Charter Banquet, visits to schools and to the Jamaica Public Service.

Trevor is a retired Mathematics teacher and has been a Rotarian for 15 years. He lists sport as an important part of his life. He highlighted the different types of snakes of Australia, informing the meeting about their reputation, danger and antidote to their bite.

Other Team members are :-

Dayle McGeachie - sponsored by the Rotary Club of Charlestown, is an Area Coordinator for the Ronald McDonald Learning Programme. The program supports the educational needs of children recovering from serious illness, by providing individual learning programs.
She also facilitates Professional Development courses to make Educators aware of the effects of serious illness on a child’s education. Dayle also holds National and World titles in Surf Lifesaving.

Philipp Bourquin – sponsored by the Rotary Club of Nelson Bay, works in the Energy Utilities Industry overseeing the operation and maintenance of natural gas infrastructure, having under his management a team of 36 people. He enjoys outdoor activities and is an active member of the local Surf Life Saving Club.

Katrina Mason – sponsored by the Rotary Club of Newcastle Sunrise, works as a Residential Case Manger in the Youth Service. Katrina is responsible for 15 children and young people, the training of caseworkers and a team of youth workers. Katrina enjoys travelling and has spent long periods in South East Asia and New Zealand. She especially enjoys activities which revolve around the ocean.

Scott Johnson – Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Morisset, is a Residential Programme
Coordinator at a Sports and Recreation Centre. Scott’s role is to organise a wide variety of clients and provide mainly recreational activities for them. These include archery, sailing, canoeing and rock climbing, to name a few. The majority of the clients are school children but he also provides programmes for family groups. Scott enjoys sport especially cricket and golf.

The Group was hosted by The Rotary Club of Montego Bay East on the evening of Monday the 19th of April at a member's home and visited the Rotary Club of Montego Bay Sunrise, The Rotary Club of Falmouth and Lucea before heading to Kingston for the District Conference.

Gourmet Bake Sale - Saturday May 1

THE RACE TO LITERACY IS ON IN MONTEGO BAY

Interactors at Cornwall College gather round and discuss their plans for spring cleaning and bringing all their old textbooks to contribute to the Race Toi Literacy Book Drive Project. Pictured left to right Rotarian Natasha Parchment-Clarke; Island Books @ Whitter Shopping Village owner Rayer Headly; Interact President Norman Malcolm (back row); Head Boy Malike Kellier ; Ivan Godfrey; Odaine Thomas; teacher Nadine Ellis Hall

On Monday 29 March, Rotarian Natasha Parchment-Clarke and Rayer Headly, owner of Island Books at Whitter Shopping Village, visited schools in and around the second city starting the challenge that could end in a Guinness Book of World Record being set.

Island Books at Whitter Shopping Village in association with The Rotary Club of Montego Bay, partnering with the Montego Bay EarlyAct Clubs have joined the international race to beat the Guinness Book of World Record set in 2008 at Rotary International’s convention in California where 242,624 books were donated to charity in a 7-day period.

For the month of April, books will be brought to schools by students, teachers and their families and Island Books will collect, count and store until May 1 – 7 , the official 7-day period during which donated books will be handed over to Rotary Clubs all over Jamaica to set the record.
To spice things up island style, Island Books has offered to donate a lap top to the school who collects the most books. The books can be of any kind - new, used, fiction, children’s novels, adults, cook-books, textbooks, etc.

The books collected will be donated to The Jamaica Library Service and the lap-top computer presented to the winning school on Teacher’s Day 5 May.

Naz Children’s Centre had a motivated principal, Alixann Narcisse-Campbell who quipped: “you might as well leave the lap top here – we have awesome parents at this school and with their children’s encouragement I know we’ll win this challenge” ; Cornwall College Interactors embraced the challenge and pledged to spring clean their homes and bring in their old textbooks and more ; Heinz Simonitch received their flyers with enthusiasm and immediately students began chattering about how many books they would bring ; Mount Alvernia Prep’s Principal accepted the challenge and instead of a lap top requested a smart board which she enthusiastically detailed the wonders of; Greenwood Prep’s Principal and EarlyAct co-ordinator eagerly took their box and happily reminisced about the successful coin-drive carried out in September 2009 where over J$ 200, 000 was collected by Montego Bay EarlyAct clubs ; Montego Bay Prep‘s EarlyAct teacher co-ordinator Mrs. Hudson was found at the desktop computer in the main office of the school and was determined that her vibrant club would win the lap top – it would save her coming to the office all the time she joked ; Edwards Prep high energy parent Sophia Alexandropolous was as enthusiastic as ever, promising to rally the troops during devotions and assemblies before and after the Easter break ; John Rollins Success Primary’s Principal looked forward to the book drive and more so , forming an Early-Act Club at her school in the new term.

EarlyAct teacher co-ordinator ; Principal and members of the EarlyAct Club of Greenwood Prep receive their collection box from Rotarian Natasha Parchment-Clarke; Island Books @ Whitter Shopping Village owner Rayer Headly.

As the trip was concluded, Lucas & Savannah Clarke, 2 EarlyActors and children of Rotarian Natasha, who assisted with the tour of schools mused: “If every student of Success Primary brings 1 book , we would collect over 1,000 books ; 2 books each, that’d be 2,000 books – WOW!” , and on that note the Race To Literacy Book Drive Project began in Montego Bay :

“W-O-W”.

Island Books @ Whitter Shopping Village owner Rayer Headly, Rotarian Natasha Parchment-Clarke and EarlyAct teacher co-ordinator of Montego Bay Prep Mrs. Hudson pose in front of the school’s showcase of trophies and medals with their box for the book drive.

Article and photos contributed by Natasha Parchment Clarke (c)

Rotary, Early Act join hands with Island Books & Beyond in the Race for Literacy!

For more information on the Rotary Race to Literacy Drive click here.