On 1st July 2018, two Junior Optimists from Anguilla – International Director Tiandra Carty from Progressive Youth Octagon Club and Abigail Proctor, President of the Kids For The Future Junior Optimist Club – travelled to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
They were joined there, three days later, by Friend of Optimist Venis Simpson, Past Presidents of the Optimist Club of Anguilla and Junior Optimists Advisors, Avon Carty and Emma Ferguson, and Kenay Smith from the Innocent Minds Junior Optimist Club. The Anguillian contingent headed to Ottawa to represent Anguilla and the Caribbean District of Optimist International at the annual Junior Optimist International (JOI) Convention.
The Convention went off without a hitch and the young Optimists participated in many activities and workshops. Among them were training sessions on organising successful projects, the benefits of positive thinking and club officers training. An ever popular event, featured at the Junior Optimist Convention, was the talent show in which the three Anguillian young ladies (Tiandra, Abigail and Kenay) enthralled their audience by singing, “I Say A”. The Convention ended with the President’s Banquet, Dinner and Dance on Saturday 7 July 2018.
While in Ottawa, the group ventured on many historic tours and was able to enjoy the life and culture of a vibrant and diverse city, so unlike their island home. They enjoyed a tour to Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, visiting the Peace Tower and the Centre Block – the building which houses the Senate and Parliament as well as many historically important rooms. The tour was particularly poignant as the building will be closed for renovation later this year, for ten years.
Madame President Abigail said of her Ottawa experience, “I reunited with old friends and made many new ones in an amazingly beautiful and historic city.” She continued, “The experience was not one to be forgotten.” Eight-year old Optimist Kenay, who was experiencing an Optimist Convention for the first time, said, “It was exciting to be with all the other Optimists – I had a good time!”
Team AXA was proud to represent Anguilla at the 100th Optimist International Convention and the 26th Junior Optimist Convention. International Director Tiandra said, “It has been a pleasure serving on the 2017 – 2018 JOI Board and I would like to thank all my supporters. I am very excited to see what 2018 – 2019 has in store for us at the next Convention in Louisville, Kentucky!”
The Optimist Club of Anguilla and the Junior Optimist Clubs would like to thank those who assisted in making their participation in the 2018 Convention possible. Special thanks to Optimist Col. Oscar Derby from Jamaica (who is also a member of the Optimist Club of Anguilla), as well as a special friend of Optimist who wishes to remain anonymous but is always willing to support our children. Thanks are also extended to the parents for entrusting their children to the care of the Optimist Advisors, thereby making Anguilla’s representation possible.
– Contributed
