The premier fundraising event of the David 'Wagga' Hunt Scholarship Foundation, (DWHF), The “Jamaica David 'Wagga' Hunt Annual Red Carpet Ball,” will be held virtually this year, on Sunday, January 31, 2021, at 7:00 PM and will be streamed live on YouTube.
The Red Carpet Ball joins a long list of events which have moved online due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. The event will be held under the Distinguished Patronages of the Jamaican Ambassador to the USA, Her Excellency, Audrey P. Marks, and Principals Messrs. Dave Myrie and Albert Corcho of Kingston College and Calabar High School, respectively.
The approximately two-hour-long program will feature the scholarship recipients of Calabar High School and Kingston College alumni and parents. The public will get the chance to learn more about the program through vignettes and carefully curated content which will showcase the institutions and the students under their charge.
The foundation will also honour two of Jamaica’s distinguished sons and exemplars of excellence Richard Pandohie, CEO of Seprod and a Calabar Old Boy and Rainford Wilks, Professor Emeritus, Caribbean Institute for Health and Research and a KC Old Boy.
DWHF awards scholarships to deserving young men of Kingston College and Calabar High School.
Since 2009, the scholarship initiative has funded students from grades eight through 13 covering tuition, books, lunch and other school-related expenses. To date, over 30 scholarships exceeding J$13 Million dollars have been awarded.
Recipients are selected from a shortlist of nominees and must display commendable academic performance and deportment; be involved in extracurricular activities, and are deemed in need of financial assistance.
This year has proven to be a challenging one for students against the backdrop of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Schools were forced to shift to online classes, which students are struggling with the new remote learning environment with many being without basic tools such as internet connectivity and devices needed to access lessons. These setbacks have caused increased stress and concerns for both parents and students, alike.
The foundation has stepped in to alleviate some of these issues. In addition to the JMD$2.1 million disbursed for the school year 2020/2021; each recipient was presented with a brand new laptop for a total value of JA$500,000.00.
JMD$2 million was disbursed to facilitate the schools’ technological upgrade of their equipment and framework with each school receiving $JMD$1 million.
“Presenting our scholarship recipients with laptops was a major goal for us during this pandemic and we are extremely happy to have done so,” said Christopher Hunt, chairman of the Foundation and younger brother to the late David Hunt. “We are also thrilled to have been able to include the schools in our allocation allowing them to create a more inclusive and advanced learning environment with much needed technological and infrastructural upgrades.”
Patrons will be entertained by some of Jamaica’s top reggae acts; Kabaka Pyramid, Fab 5 Band, Paul Blake and Pam Hall who have all donated their time to this worthy cause. Emcees for the evening are Leighton “Fyah” McKnight and Radio Broadcaster Dervan Malcolm.
Gracious support was provided by sponsors, VMBS, Proven Wealth, The Gibson-Mc-Cook Relays. Steuart Foundation and Penthouse Recording Studios. The show is being produced by Duane McDonald.
For more information or to make a donation, you may visit our website www.davidwaggahunt.org.
Grenadian Olympians Kirani James, Lindon Victor set to compete on different continents this weekend
As they continue sharpen their skills ahead this summer’s Olympics Games in Paris, France, Grenadian Olympians Kirani James and Lindon Victor are set to compete at separate meets on different continents this weekend.
James, the 2012 Olympic champion and three-time medalist, has been confirmed for the LA Grand Prix on Saturday, May 18, at the Drake Stadium in Los Angeles, California. This will be his second race of the season having opened at the USATF Bermuda Grand Prix on April 28.
Meanwhile, Victor, a decathlete, will take part in the Hypo Meeting at the Mosle Stadium in Gotzis, Austria, from Saturday, May 18 to Sunday, May 19.
The Hypo Meeting is a World-Athletics organized combined events gold level meet that features the world’s top heptathletes and decathletes in two days of grueling competition.
Victor, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist and the holder of several national records for Grenada has his sights set on the 2024 Paris Olympics where he will make his third Olympic appearance for the Spice Island.
Following competition in Austria, Victor will fly home to Grenada where he will contest the long jump and the 100m at the Grenada Invitational on June 6.
Olympic hopeful Tamarri Lindo faces deportation to Jamaica amidst Olympic dreams
Tamarri Lindo, a standout track athlete from York University in Canada, finds himself grappling with the looming threat of deportation just as his Olympic aspirations reach a critical juncture. Despite his impressive athletic achievements, including a recent bronze medal in the 60-metre hurdles for York University at the national collegiate championships, Lindo's dreams of representing Canada at the upcoming Olympics are in peril.
Tamarri's journey to Canada began in 2019 when he and his family fled Jamaica due to alleged threats and violence linked to his father George Lindo's political activism against gang influence in support of the opposition party. Tamarri, who has excelled both academically and athletically, earned a Ca.$2,500 scholarship after catching the eye of scouts while in high school.
"My goal was to make the 2024 Paris Olympics. But now, it feels like everything is being taken away," Lindo lamented in an emotional interview with CTV National News. "I feel like I could have a mental health breakdown. My heart is sinking."
Despite providing evidence of threats and violence faced in Jamaica, the Lindo family's asylum claims have been denied multiple times by Canadian immigration officials. The most recent pre-removal risk assessment, conducted in March 2023, upheld previous decisions, prompting the Canada Border Services Agency to issue a deportation order scheduled for next week.
Immigration lawyer Aidan Simardone, advocating for the Lindo family, has filed for a judicial review as their final recourse to remain in Canada. He condemned the decision, highlighting the potential danger awaiting the Lindos if forced to return to Jamaica.
"The fact that they are doing this is unconscionable," Simardone asserted. "It goes against our Canadian values of providing people their fair opportunities and protection to those in danger in other countries."
For Tamarri, who hoped his athletic achievements would bolster his family's case for residency, the uncertainty looms heavily. As he faces the imminent threat of deportation, he remains hopeful for a successful appeal while continuing to train and pursue his athletic goals amidst the uncertainty that surrounds his family's future in Canada.
As the legal battle unfolds, supporters have rallied behind the Lindo family, advocating for a reconsideration of their case and hoping for a resolution that allows them to remain in Canada and for Tamarri to pursue his Olympic dreams.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, Kirani James, and Anderson Peters headline star-studded field at 2024 Grenada Invitational, June 6
The stage is set for a thrilling showcase of athletic prowess as the 2024 Grenada Invitational gears up to welcome a star-studded lineup of track and field talents. Hometown heroes Kirani James and Anderson Peters, alongside the incomparable Elaine Thompson-Herah, lead the pack of 100 athletes confirmed to compete at the prestigious event, slated to take place on Thursday, June 6, at the Kirani James Stadium in Grenada.
The excitement surrounding the meet was palpable as it was officially launched on Thursday at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort in St. George's. The presence of Olympic champions and world-class athletes promises an electrifying atmosphere for spectators and competitors alike.
Joining the illustrious lineup are Commonwealth Games 110m hurdles champion Rasheed Broadbell, set to make his season debut, and Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper. Their participation adds further depth and excitement to an already stacked field of competitors that will also include Grenada’s Olympic hopefuls quarter-miler Melenie Rodney, sprinter Halle Hazzard as well as decathletes Linden Victor and Kurt Felix. Both decathletes will participate in the long jump and 100m events.
The meet will also herald the celebration of a significant milestone—the 40th anniversary of Grenada's first participation in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984. To honor this occasion, all 51 athletes who have represented the country at the Olympics over the past four decades will be celebrated and honored at a special ceremony scheduled for 6:00 pm on the day of the event.
The festivities are set to kick off at 4:30 pm with national segments featuring local athletes across various age categories, from U13 to U20. This segment serves as a platform to showcase the budding talent within Grenada's track and field community and underscores the nation's commitment to nurturing the next generation of athletic stars.
As the sun sets and the international segment commences at 7:00 pm, spectators can expect nothing short of top-tier performances from some of the world's most elite athletes. From sprints to hurdles, jumps to throws, the Grenada Invitational promises a spectacle of athletic excellence that will captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression on the global track and field stage.
The meet organizers say the full cast of athletes competing at the meet will be revealed over the next two weeks.
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