July 2021- Summer Newsletter
Editor’s Note |
We are pleased to present the inaugural edition of our CCAA Newsletter! This will be the new mouthpiece and flagship publication to keep our fellow past students and supporters informed of all the life-changing work we do to give back to our alma mater, Clarendon College. Our newsletter also aims to drum up excitement and support for our ongoing events and fundraising initiatives, and of course to highlight our members who are the foundation of everything we do.
First, let me acknowledge my Executive Team for 2021-2023. Thanks to their support, we have had immense success in the past three months and we are working to keep the momentum and grow from strength to strength.
Thanks as well to my Communications Committee members Jotham Manley James, Nikolai-Andre Alexander, Rean Goulbourne, and Sherine Williams for working along with me to get this newsletter out the starting blocks. I appreciate your support.
The CCAA exists as an organization that works and gives back to support the education of our youth and all our activities are strategically centred around this mission. Here are some of our top achievements since the new executive team took office in March 2021:
- We have officially launched our CCAA Newsletter!
- We have increased our recruitment activities and that has resulted in a total of 20 new members signing up to become members.
- For Teacher’s Day in May, we sponsored two CC “Above and Beyond Awards” for two teachers Ms. Karen Pounal and Mr. Clarence Dawkins.
- We made a donation for a memorial bench in memory of Ian and Valerie Ewing-Chow at Sunnybrook Park, 1132 Leslie Street, Toronto. Both Ian and Valerie were avid supporters of our chapter, and this was our way to honour them.
- We have had an uptick in communications and promotional activities, thanks to our newly minted Communications Committee led by myself and supported by four talented members.
- We installed a new Fundraising Committee to lead the charge for the organisation’s activities for the next two years.
- Our first fundraising event, the Spring Walkathon was a huge success.
Guess what? These achievements are only the beginning. We have more ambitious goals to accomplish during our tenure and we can only do it with your continued support. If you know a fellow past student in Canada, we’d be grateful if you can share the newsletter with them and urge them to become a part of the CCAA.
Please send us your feedback and comments on the newsletter to ccalumni.to@gmail.com; we’d be happy to hear from you.
Cheers,
Kimesha Walters
President, CCAA, Toronto Chapter
Editor, CCAA Newsletter
Meet our New CCAA-TO Executive Officers! |
Spring Walkathon |
Events? Yes they are happening and our Spring Walkathon was a big hit!
We’ve raised the bar with our events and all the activities we do, and we’re happy to have your support every step of the way! On Saturday, May 29, our members popped up across Ontario to participate in our Spring Walkathon and boy, did we have a good time while raising funds for our alma mater?!
We’d like to say a special ‘thank you’ to our members who made it to the designated location in Scarborough and those who kept the energy wherever they walked, whether Brampton, Etobicoke, Hamilton, or Mississauga. You all represented CC well in your school colours and CC branded masks.
Thanks to the team that helped to coordinate and organise the event and the last-minute changes that were needed to make the event a successful one. To the communications committee, thanks for the great job on promoting the campaign. We’re so excited about how this beautiful day turned out and even happier to see the donations we received!.
CC “Above and Beyond” Awards |
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Congratulations! |
Congratulations are in order for one of our Chapter’s valued members, Dr. Sylvanus Thompson, who copped not one but TWO awards recently!
Dr. Thompson received The Governor-General’s Jamaica Diaspora Award for Excellence (at the Diaspora Conference) and The Jamaica Diaspora Champion in Health and Mental Health.
Despite receiving numerous awards throughout his career in the medical field, Dr. Thompson describes his two most recent accolades as “extra special.” But what makes these two awards extra special to a man who has had an illustrious career and is no stranger to honours and accolades? As he explains it, the awards were special because of the groups that bestowed them.
“The Jamaica Diaspora and Friends Champion in Health and Mental Health was determined through peer nomination followed by individual voting worldwide. This peer recognition provides a sense of the global reach and value of my service. As for the Governor General’s Jamaica Diaspora Awards of Excellence – it’s one of the most prestigious that is granted to members of the diaspora. This was certainly one of the proudest moments in my life,” he explained.
An active member of our Association, Dr. Thompson said his two awards will serve as a catalyst to fuel this passion for continued community service. In other words, he’ll keep the CC spirit alive – persevering and excelling to advance the welfare of those around him.
Congratulations! |
Award Nomination – Honourable Mention
Immediate Past President – Jacqui Mills
Congratulations to our Immediate Past President, Jacqui Mills on her nomination from the Jamaica Diaspora and Friends Champion Awards (JDAFCA) in the category of Education. For over 30 years, Jacqui has been a dedicated volunteer with service across a variety of organizations including our very own CCAA Toronto, the Jamaican Canadian Association (JCA), Grant AME church, Alliance of Jamaican Alumni Association (AJAA) and the Caribbean African Canadian Social Services. Hats off to you Jacqui, we’re proud of you!
Congratulations! |
Congratulations to Rean Goulbourne and his wife, Deris, on the birth of their baby girl, Rain Goulbourne, on June 25, 2021. Rain, we’re excited to welcome you to the CCAA family!
Buy your CC-Branded Masks Today! |
Drop us a line on info to buy your mask today at only CA $10 each!
Save the Dates for Our Upcoming Events! |
Saturday, September 25, 2021 – Summer Walkathon (Tentative)
Pay it Forward! |
Have you paid your membership dues? Did you know that our membership dues cost only $25 for the entire year? Funds go towards keeping the CCAA up and running and help us to roll out initiatives and fundraising activities to support and give back to CC. Send us a message today to play your part in keeping our organization’s mission alive!
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