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I AM deeply honoured to have served as the Optimist International Caribbean District Governor in the 100th anniver-

sary year of our wonderful service organisa-tion – a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us as Optimists all over the world. And at the time of writing, I am proud to say, the Optimist International Caribbean District was already recognised as a Distinguished District because of your fantastic perfor-mance, fellow Optimists.

You will see with me then, if on your shoulders, I bask in the distinction of Distinguished Centennial Governor.

We started our 39th year of Optimism in the Caribbean with the formation of a club at The Mico University College with 32 students.

We had a charity ball on Saturday, October 13, 2018, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel. We honoured a number of our most outstanding members for their invaluable contributions to Caribbean Optimism over 39 years.

The message from Prime Minister Andrew Holness, delivered at the ball by Alando Terrelonge, then state minister for culture, gender, entertainment and sport, was that the District’s flagship programme for the year, Road Safety, was timely and well needed.

It was with our road safety campaign in mind that we ended the centennial year with a concert dubbed ‘An Evening of Musical Excellence’, to raise funds for the erection of road safety signs at a number of hotspots near to schools across the island.

It was well supported – an evening well spent for patrons.

I wish to extend special thanks my District Treasurer who came in late in the First Quarter but who handled her office most effi-ciently; and to my District Secretary, I also give thanks for service rendered.

I want to thank the 11 Centennial Lieutenant Governors, some of whom, despite personal challenges, kept on planting the seeds of service and encouraging the clubs in their zones.

Thanks to our Governor’s Assistants Barbara Watson (Growth). The effort from Optimist Barbara has been nothing short of tremendous. Merlene Hercules (Activities); Lynden Buchanan (Administration), and Sonia Stewart Gordon (Conferences) for their work.

And in the centennial year we had for the first time an Executive Assistant to the Governor in the person of Past Governor Granville Roy Augustus Newell.

To the presidents, secretary, treasurers and the club foundation representatives, many thanks for the work you did throughout the year. The district submitted 100 per cent COER this year. Many thanks to all the Committee Chairpersons and their teams.

Allow me to also single out the following:• PIVP Sonia Anderson – Leadership

Development – who delivered excellent training at all Conferences/Regional and Convention.

• Carlene A. Hunter – Conferences/Convention – for her professional

execution of the events.

• Debbie Willis-Hunter – College clubs – for her mentoring role to the clubs and for engaging our first-tim-ers at the Conferences/Convention in exciting activities.

• Patricia McLean – CHaRM – for successfully rais-ing funds and donating same to the Bustamante Hospital for Children and the McCamm Development Centre – a combined total of $350,000.00.

• Marcia Forrester – CCDHH – for making the deaf community feel special.

• Wylett ‘Biggy’ Reid – Soliciting advertising support for Centennial Edition District handbook.

• Rosemarie Samuels – District Foundation Representative and the

team of club foundation representatives. We exceeded our target set by Optimist International.

• Michael Knight – Essay Chair.• Al Johnson – Finance – who meticulously performed his duties as CP and more.• Michelle Bryan and Blondette Wright – Growth Committee.

• Heather Ambersley – Oratorical – who ensured that the District winner and her

chaperone travelled to St Louis for the Regional Contest.• O’Bryan Leighton – Tri-Star Sports – took this to the ‘next level’ with events in Antigua, Barbados, Grand Cayman and Jamaica.• Monica Robinson – Youth Safety (road safety) – engaged the services (at no cost to the District) of the Head of

the Road Safety Unit of the Ministry of Transport in Jamaica to conduct training for the clubs in zones one to eight and attended schools and communi-ties to conduct training through-out the year!• Hyacinth Robinson and Noreen Beadle for manning the Secretariat along with District Treasurer Margaret Wright, who understood my need for clubs to pay attention to the payment of OI and District

Dues.• Jermaine Peart – social media• Jannette Lawrence – recognition and awards

• Diana Morrison – JOIAs we promised ourselves, let us look to

bringing out the best into the next century, passing the baton to Governor Rose M. Medley and the iMagine team.

Forever yours in Optimism,MARCIA STREETE HENDRICKSCentennial Distinguished Governor

Providing hope and positive vision Marcia

Streete Hendricks

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AS I reflect back on the 2018-19 Optimist International Centennial year, I am deeply appreciative of the tremendous

work by Optimists around the world to make this milestone year of our 100th anniversary truly remarkable.

Together, we celebrated our history while we also conducted thousands of innovative and impactful service projects in our communities and conveyed our enthusiasm for the future.

I’m incredibly honoured to have served as Optimist International President during this transformative time, as we’ve extended our Optimist movement into new countries, expanded our long-time focus on Childhood Cancer to a broader programme around Childhood Health and Wellness, and delivered many new initiatives to help Optimist Clubs improve their positive impact in local communities.

Our Centennial Theme centred on ‘Bringing Out the Best into the Next Century’, recognising that our Optimist mission for the past 100 years has been remarkably consistent around ‘providing hope and positive vision’ to “bring out the best in youth, our communities and ourselves.” We have worked together this past year to ensure that we are successfully positioned to continue that mission into the next 100 years of Optimist service to help make the world around us better for the children we serve.

I offer my heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Immediate Past Governor Marcia Streete Hendricks of our Caribbean

Optimists for her leadership and an outstanding year of service and growth. The Caribbean Optimist movement represents one of the fastest growing areas of Optimist

International for the past several years, with over 2,500 members and tremendous passion and dedication to the children and communities served. I had the privilege of visiting the Caribbean this past year and was extremely impressed with the Optimist team and their work to support children in their neighbourhoods.

I also have the great honour of ‘passing the gave’ to my friend Adrian Elcock from Bridgetown, Barbados, as the 2019-20

Optimist International President – the first to serve from that country and the second from the Caribbean (Past President Theodore Golding from Kingston, Jamaica, served in 2007-08). I’ve had the honour of serving on the Optimist International Board of Directors with President Adrian for the past four years, and look forward to our continued teamwork in the coming year as he takes the helm as President.

I offer sincere thanks to each of you for what you do to make a difference in your own corner of the world. Please continue to promise yourself to bring your personal best to everything you do and live out our Optimist creed each day.

Just ‘iMagine’ the difference we can make – together!

REBECCA BUTLER MONA2018-19 Optimist International President

I’m impressed with Caribbean Optimists AS GOVERNOR of the Caribbean

District 2019/2020 iMagine Year of Optimist International, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate Centennial Governor Marcia Streete Hendricks on her out-standing performance as Distinguished Governor. It is a well-deserving recognition for a job well done.

One hundred years of optimism is deserv-ing of celebration. In the Caribbean, from The Cayman Islands in the north to Barbados in the south, Optimists have been working to bring out the best in youth. As optimists we continue to play our part through various programmes and activities, including Internet safety, conflict management, road safety, support for children with cancer, and

mentorship, to name a few, to ensure that our children’s future is secured.

This club year, Optimists are focusing on alleviat-ing issues relating to children with learning disabilities. Our aim is to not only assist with identifying problems through testing, but to work with our partners to provide avenues for children to receive much needed intervention in order to bring out the best in them.

I wish Optimists across the Caribbean District, and friends of Optimists everywhere, every success in this the first year of the new century of Optimist International.

iMagine – Bringing Out The Best,ROSE M. MEDLEYiMagine Governor, 2019-20

Continuing work to ensure our children’s future

THE OPTIMIST Club of Mandeville is elated to be celebrating its 30th anniversary in the Optimist International Centennial Year, having been chartered on September 26, 1989.

Over the period, the projects and programmes carried out by the

club have had a tremendous impact on the lives of the children served in various communities.

We join with Optimists all over the world in celebrat-

ing 100 years of service as we dedicate ourselves to ‘Bring out the

Best into the next Century’.

The Optimist Club of Mandeville turns 30 in the Centennial Year

OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL is an interna-tional service club with almost 3,000 clubs and over 80,000 members in more than 20 countries.

From the first International Convention held in Louisville, Kentucky in the United States, in 1919, Optimist International has made giant strides to be now serving over six million youth around the world through more than 2,300 clubs in its 100th year.

The international headquarters is lo-cated in St Louis, Missouri, USA. Optimist International is also the sponsor of Junior Optimist International, designed for elemen-tary school through high school-aged youth. Optimist International’s motto is ‘Friend of Youth’ and the organisation also uses the brand-ing statement ‘Bringing Out the Best in Youth, in our Communities, and in Ourselves’.

The Optimist International Caribbean District over 39 years.

OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL CARIBBEAN DISTRICT GOVERNORS

Theodore Golding – 1992-93 (International president)

Dunbar McFarlane – 1993-94

Dr Ron Bourne – 1994-95 (International vice president)

Dudley Hall (deceased) – 1995-96

Errol Alliman – 1996-97

Oscar Derby – 1997-98

Lancaster Henry – 1998-99 (International vice-president)

Shirley Jarrett – 1999-2000 (First woman governor /International vice president)

Edwin Wint – 2000-2001 (International vice president)

Dr Carol Haynes – 2001-2002 (International vice-president)

David Garel – 2002-2003

Ronnie Carrington – 2003-2004

Cecille Hale – 2004-2005

Adrian Elcock – 2005-2006 (International president)

Sonia Anderson – 2006-2207 (International vice-president)

Granville Newell – 2007-2008

Judith Reid (deceased) – 2008-2009

Gene M. Douglas – 2009-2010

Joseph Benfield – 2010-2011

Dwight Phillips – 2011-2012

Lynden Buchanan – 2012-2013

Nutilia Simon – 2013-2014

Barbara Arrindell -2014-2015

Dr Patrick Prendergast – 2015-2016 (International vice president-elect)

Dave Wilson – 2016-2017

Calvin Hunter – 2017-2018

Marcia Streete Hendricks – 2018-2019

Rose Medley – 2019-2020

First 100 years of Optimist International

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ADRIAN M. Elcock, a native of Barbados, assumed the presidency of

Optimist International on October 1, 2019, walking in the footsteps of Theodore Golding to become the second Caribbean Optimist to assume the highest office of the 100-year-old service organisation.

His outstanding leadership in all aspects of Optimism and the business acumen he has demon-strated in his native land put Elcock in good stead to take on the stewardship on the global Optimist movement.

To his Caribbean District flock, International President Adrian Elcock said, “Thank you all for your kind wishes and commenda-tory messages. My grooming for this position has been on the shoulders and tutelage of many of you.

“I promise I will work hard and the Caribbean reputation of strong leadership will endure.”

On the basis of the pledges from his fellow Caribbean Optimists alone, the success of President Adrian’s iMagine Year is assured. iMagine that!

The second int’l president from the Caribbean gets the second century of Optimist International going – iMagine

Then Optimist International 2019-2020 President-designate, Adrian Elcock, outlining for the iMagine Year to Optimists gathered for the District Convention of the Optimist International Caribbean District in the Centennial Year.

The 2019-2020 iMagine International President Adrian Elcock receiving the ‘baton’ from the 2018-2019 Centennial International President Rebecca Butler Mona.

CHARM IS the acronym for Optimist International Caribbean District Childhood Health and Response Mission. The campaign was officially launched 2015-16 by PG Patrick Prendergast with the addition of autism spectrum disorder in children to the other two initiatives of the District, namely, HIV/AIDS Awareness and Support and the Childhood Cancer Campaign.

The focus of the CHaRM Committee is to formulate programmes around childhood dis-eases and disabilities specifically:• Childhood cancer (with the

slogan ‘Providing the Care … Finding the Cure’)

• HIV/AIDS • Autism spectrum disorder (focus

since 2015-2016) The aim of the CHaRM

Committee is that Optimist clubs and the District should work to do the following:

• Build awareness of these child-hood diseases and disabilities;

• Provide assistance to affected children, their families and caregivers;

• Support healthcare and service providers;

• Support research to find a cure for these childhood diseases and disabilities.

There are many ways clubs can play their part to help these children and their families.

Examples of activities includes:• Raise funds for Childhood

Cancer Campaign at a local hospital that treats children.

• Do a project with the Cancer

Society, your local HIV/AIDS and autism awareness centres

• Clubs can join with the District and donate to this cause (or donate in their name through the District)

• Support a child and his/her family in getting tested to determine if the child has an autism Spectrum Disorder. The earlier testing is done the better the outcome for a child with ASD. Many times the children are labeled trouble-makers when they are suffering from Autism and not diagnosed.In Jamaica, on May 5, we had

our annual family brunch. We netted $350,000.00. A cheque for $200,000.00 was presented

to the Bustamante Hospital for Children Social Work Department, which provides bus fares and lunch money, as well as other miscellaneous items for parents and caregivers who cannot afford the money to take their children for their cancer treatments.

The balance of $150,000.00 was handed over to The McCam Child Care and Development Centre that specialises in autism spectrum disorders to help with well needed equipment.

Let us support our children who are ill or disabled to have a fighting chance at being as normal as they possibly can be. We can make a difference, let us show how much we care.

CHaRMing accomplishments in 2018-19

Presentation to Bustamante Hospital for Children: Dr Michelle Dawson, SMO; Camile Wallen-Panton, CEO; Ta’amra Irving-Strachan, patients affairs manager; Karlene Taylor McKenzie, hospital administrator; Sharon McLean Salmon, consultant hematologist and oncologist; and Lorraine Spence, social worker. Optimist International Caribbean District, Governor Marcia Street Hendricks, Governor-elect Rose Medley, CHaRM Chairperson, Pat McLean and Chairperson for Junior Optimists, Diana Morrison.

From left: Diana Morrison, chairperson, Junior Optimists; Governor-elect Rose Medley; Angella Burnett, headmistress; Dr Pauline Watson-Campbell, director of the centre; Optimist Internal Caribbean District Governor Marcia Streete Hendricks; and Chairperson CHaRM, Pat McLean.

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The Organising Committee of the fundraising concert, An Evening of Musical Excellence (from left): Past Governor David Carel, Optimist Marva Ximinnies, Governor Marcia Streete Hendricks, and Past Governor Granville Newell.

OPTIMIST FUNDRAISING CHARITY BALL

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FOR MORE than a decade the Optimist Club of Kingston (OCK), has been organising Christmas and Easter treats for children, parents and staff of Ward One and the Burn

Unit at the Bustamante Hospital for Children.Christmas of 2018 was another joyful and fulfilling

project. The OCK team provided toy gifts and sweet treats. The club was also involved in an art project, another exciting activity for children away from home. The children made postcards for their parents and family members.

Optimist Club of Kingston busy with community service projects

Children and parents at the Ward 1, Bustamante Hospital for Children, are busy with art project delivered by the members of Optimist Club of Kingston, Jamaica (April 13, 2019).

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AS PART of their 10th anniversary celebration, the Optimist Club of Barbican Pines constructed a 636

sq ft extension to the physical facilities of the Shortwood United Church Early Childhood Development Centre located at 77 Shortwood Road, Kingston 8.

This extension project was conducted in partnership with the school board, staff, the Parent-Teacher Association and other stakeholders at a cost of approximately US$35,800.00. A culmination of a 10-year dream for the then club President Gloria Walker, the construction took one year, starting in October 2009. It was dedicated in

September 2010. The extension included a computer room, library, administrative work area, as well as a bathroom for the staff.

The aim of the project was to support the improvement and delivery of quality early childhood and parenting education, while al-lowing the institution to be able to fully regis-ter with the Early Childhood Commission.

The Early Childhood Commission is re-sponsible for the improvement of the quality of early childhood care, education and devel-opment in the early childhood sector. Many institutions were unable to be fully registered because they did not meet the standards set by the commission.

President Gloria and her team realised that the structure was needed to satisfy the requirements of the commission, but would also directly benefit the current student pop-ulation, teachers and the community at large.

The benefits gained from this extension included an improved physical structure that facilitated the strengthening of the learn-ing resources and administrative capabili-ties, the creation of additional space that reduced overcrowding and allowed for more children to be enrolled at the school, and provision of a safe and a secure environment for the storage of technological equipment and other library resources which are high

care investments in the early childhood curriculum.

There was also the fostering of a strong partnership between the church, parents, staff, community and the Optimist Club of Barbican Pines.

Everyone involved was pleased with the image of the building in the community and that the new facility would enhance the chil-dren’s education and serve the community for many years to come. Thus, we fulfilled the Optimist International mission of pro-viding hope and positive vision by bringing out the best in youth, our communities and ourselves.

Building a Foundation for the children through Optimism

OPTIMIST CLUB OF BARBICAN PINES

THE ARTWORK for the Optimist International Caribbean District road safety signs that will be erected at a number of hotspots. on our roads near to schools.

The Optimists road signs are coming

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Optimist Donna Wanliss was the keynote speaker at the awards pres-entation dinner at the Second Quarter District Conference in February 2019 in the centennial year. Presented here is an edited version of her speech.

WHEN GOVERNOR Marcia asked me to be the keynote speaker

for this evening’s opening cere-mony, I told her I could not say no. Why? Because God has given me a mission. He placed me on a journey to deliver the message that He remains an awesome God still working miracles.

In 2001, my beloved sister, Merce, introduced my brother and myself to the Optimist movement. I attended my first meeting of the Sunset Optimist Club of Kingston and was immediately captured. Public speaking was not my forte. But before I knew what was hap-pening, I was chairing committees.

I became a director, vice-pres-ident, ambassador for Caribbean Night at International Convention, president and Lieutenant Governor.

God was preparing me for greater things. You see, I truly believe that God has a mission for each of us. Our missions will not be the same. Because like a body has different parts working together for good, we are the body of Christ.

On the 9th April last year, two days before my birthday, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

My Optimism kicked in and I prayed, ‘Lord, you have put me on this journey for a purpose. Show me what you want me to do’. I knew that God was going to perform a miracle in my life so I could tell everyone. He’s an awesome God, who is still working miracles today. Yes, I would think only the best, work only for the best and expect only the best.

Dale (my husband) has been with me every step of the way. He has been to every doctor’s appoint-ment and taken me to and from every treatment. He is a source of my strength. God has blessed me with a wonderful supportive husband. I love you, babes.

The support I have gotten from my family, my sunset (Optimist) family and friends from near and far have been incredible. I must add, don’t ever be afraid to share whatever challenges you are going through in life. You would be sur-prise how many people really care and love you. They will pray with and for you, share information, call, visit and just be there when you need them. Surround yourself with positive people. No pessimists. Strictly optimists. I never knew I was loved so much until now.

I learnt that cancer attacks your body aggressively so you have to fight it aggressively. I decided to do some chemo, change my diet and exercise more. Chemo does not know good cells from bad cells. It

kills all cells, and therefore, your immune system also breaks down. You have to eat very healthily to keep the good cells alive and exercise to maintain strength and detox your body. Cancer survives on sugar.

So, I immediately cut sugar out of my diet entirely. I had no red meat, rice, flour or Irish potato. I drank lots of water and coconut water and ate a lot of fruits, vegetables, and beans, and guess what? I lost 25lb, which I have been trying to lose for years. I also lost my hair. One’s attitude is also very impor-tant to healing. So every step of the way I looked for the sunny side of everything and made my Optimism come true.

Cancer also strives on stress. This

is a tough one to fight. But I learnt to trust God even more. He’s not going to give you anything that He won’t carry you through. Just pray, ask for discernment, trust and give Him praise. So, (song). ‘Don’t worry about a thing cuz every little things gonna be alright.’

My side effects were minimal. As a matter of fact, I am feeling the best I ever had in many years. Both spiritually and physically. Armed with my trust in God, the love and support of my family and friends, humility, patience and my optimis-tic attitude, I did 16 treatments of chemo, and along with my diet and exercise the tumour shrunk to more than half the size it was. I then had a double mastectomy done.

Six months after my diagnosis

there is no trace of cancer. I thank God for this journey, for giving me this opportunity to bring hope, inspiration and encouragement to you.

And so my advice to everyone is get to know your bodies and act on it as soon as you realise something is wrong. Share with others. No man is an island, surround yourself with positive people, develop an optimist attitude, and most impor-tantly, put God first in all things.

I am Donna Wanliss, a Christian Optimist woman, a daughter, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, an aunt, a niece and a girl-friend; and I am not just a cancer survivor, I am a conqueror here to deliver God’s message. He is an awesome miracle-working God.

Optimist Donna Wanliss: The inspiring story of a cancer survivor

Optimist Donna Wanliss (right) with Optimist International Foundation Executive Director, Craig Boring and Optimist Petrea Facey after Donna’s keynote presentation at the Second Quarter Conference in the centennial year. Craig presented Donna with a cheque for USD 250 to be donated to a child cancer patient.

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AT RIGHT: And it was two wall fans from the club to the Best Care School for the Physically and Mentally Challenged. From right: Secretary Shakira Johnson, Principal France, Director Carolle Hainsley, President Suzanne Brown, Optimist Zelpha Ann Williams, along with students and parents.

AT LEFT: Optimist Club of Manor Park presented the Lalyce Gray Basic School with two commercial soap dispensers. Making the presentation to Principal Samuels is President Suzanne Brown, and looking on are Director Patricia McLean, Director Marcia Forrester, and Director Monica Robinson.

DONATIONS IN ‘TWO’S’ FROM THE OPTIMIST CLUB OF MANOR PARK

LEFT: North St Andrew at labour at their Labour Day project at St Andrew Primary School.

And then they rested and relaxed after labour.

NORTH ST ANDREW LABOURING FOR THE CHILDREN

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