THE WEEKLY GLEANER | AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 14, 2022 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 9 AFTER TWO consecutive years of being held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jamaica Canadian Association’s (JCA) annual gala to commemorate the island’s 60th Independence anniversary will return to a physical setting this year. On Saturday, August 13, the JCA will mark its own milestone as well as Jamaica’s anniversary of Independence with the customary glitzy event under the theme ‘Celebrating 60 years of Greatness’. JCA President David Betty stated: “As we celebrate 60 years of greatness let us take the time to acknowledge how far we have come. Whether it is the ownership of our own cultural space at 65 Dawes Road, which we purchased at the end of March 1971, less than 10 years into existence, or 1621 Dupont Street in 1985 or our current Cultural Centre at 995 Arrow Road, or the electing of Kamala-Jean Gopie in 1978 as our first female president or the creation of our own credit union in 1963, the JCA has demonstrated great leadership within the Caribbean/West Indian communities. According to Betty, “We have led and continue to lead on several social issues in the areas of housing, education, employment and social justice. Therefore, while we recognise that there is much more to be done to realise our vision of social and economic equity for all members of the communities we serve, let us take the time to recognise the many giants on whose shoulders we stand.” The highlight of the gathering will be the presentation of awards to a number of outstanding individuals. “This year’s recipients for the community award are individuals who are committed to steadily growing a community focused on excellence. Volunteers continue to drive the success of our organisation and we recognise those that have gone above and beyond this year as well as those that have dedicated years in service to the JCA,” Betty said of the award recipients. For the Community Award, the honourees are: Andria Babbington, Neil Armstrong, Kathy McDonald and Camille Hannays-King. The Volunteer of the Year Award will be presented to HyacinthWilson, while the President’s Award will go to Michelle Davis. “We invite participants to join us for an evening of good food, fun and entertainment to mark this significant milestone,” Betty urged. This year’s gala event will be hosted by the dynamic Marcia Brown, with entertainment from the Arsenals Ska Band and DJ Soul2Soul. Tickets are now on sale and includes a fully catered meal. The JCA expressed special thanks to the sponsors of this year’s event: Benjamin Law, UA Local 46, UBC Carpenters Local 27, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades and DALI Local 675 Interior Systems. JCA to mark own milestone, Jamaica’s Independence anniversary at physical gala event SIX DISTINGUISHED Jamaicans, including Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Dr Sandra Lindsay, will be honoured at the official Jamaica 60 Diamond Jubilee Gala scheduled for Saturday, August 20, at the Marriott Marquis NewYork Hotel, Times Square. The celebratory event is being hosted in partnership with Jamaica’s Promise. NewYork City Mayor Eric Adams will be the guest speaker for the gala event, which will be attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, members of the diplomatic and consular corps, well-wishers and honourees. As part of this year’s celebration, the six honourees are being recognised for their outstanding achievements in their respective fields. They include Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Monty Alexander, Moody’s director Basil Anderson, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare Jeffrey Flaks, director of patient care services in critical care at Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens Dr Sandra Lindsay, president and CEO of Chemours Mark Newman, and Dr MauriceWright, chief medical officer of Harlem Hospital and senior associate dean of Columbia University for academic affiliation. Importantly, this year’s gala is being staged as a fundraiser for several worthy causes, among them are the purchase of six dialysis machines at a cost $40,000 each; six scholarships to fund the tertiary education of students across three counties in Jamaica, support of the Rose Town Foundation’s efforts as a violence interrupter, and healthcare interventions by the MHHC Foundation in The Bronx. Jamaica’s Consular General in New York is promising a worthy, but entertainment-filled evening for patrons who will be entertained by Leroy Sibbles, Derrick Barnett and the Statement Band, with music by Road International. Other performers are being confirmed for the event. Among the guests attending is actor Nick Creegan from the television series Law and Order. Patrons are encouraged to get their tickets now at www. Jamaica60.org or call 888-817-9050, Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Six to be honoured at Jamaica 60 gala in NY Lester Hinds/Gleaner Writer EIGHTEEN STUDENTS of Kingston College are to get musical fellowships over the next three years aimed at strengthening and preserving the school’s choir. The fellowships are being made available to the students by the Spencer family. Noel Spencer is a past student of Kingston College and has contributed to the school’s development over the years. Under the fellowship programme, which kicks in at the start of the new school year, six students – four firstyear and two seniors – will be given fellowships valued at a quarter of the year’s school fee, to enhance the treble section of the choir. According to Spencer, there is a shortage of students singing treble and the aim of the fellowship is to get more students interested in this aspect of singing. In explaining the scope of the award, he said two seniors will be given the fellowship to train and assist four first-year students to sing treble. Spencer said that he is concerned that not enough students are singing treble and this could have a longterm negative effect on the school choir. “It is to address this situation and to ensure that KC Choir remains at a high standard that it was decided to implement the choral fellowship grants,” he said. He is hoping that the choral fellowship will inspire more students to start singing treble and it will not become a dying art. The students to benefit under the fellowship will be selected by a three-man committee comprising the choir director, the deputy headmaster and a member of the chapel committee. The fellowship will be repeated each year for the next three years, he said. Contributions to Kingston College by Spencer and his family include assistance with paying for the athletic track at the school, the Spencer family Art Studio classroom at the school, refurbishing of the Douglas Forrest Building, as well as the donation of drones to be used in the school’s robotic programme. The Kingston College Trust Fund has also benefited from contributions over the years by Noel Spencer and his family. But the Spencer’s largesse is not confined only to Kingston College. Donations have also been made to the St Jago Past Students Association to assist with its scholarship and tuition assistance programme. The Mount Vernon Community Health Center in the city of Mount Vernon, in Westchester has also been gifted by Noel Spencer. So, too, has been the Tuskegee Airmen scholarship programme, which was given a US$20,000 endowment. Noel Spencer awards fellowships to KC students
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