The State of the Association

The State of the Association Message

Fellow Sharpites:

It gives me distinct pleasure to deliver the State of the Association Message this week. Towards the end of September 2007, you, as a body, ratified our constitution; a basis from which the Central Executive Body was born. At our first meeting, the members of the CEB made a commitment for the next 10 months, to define objectives of the organization and design and implement ways of achieving them. Some of our objectives that form the core of our plans are as follows

   1. Conduct an education faire on campus for 2008.
   2. Conduct a health faire in and around the Granville area in Montego Bay as an extended outreach of the college and it PSA.
   3. Present a gift to the college as an ongoing annual commitment that started 18 or so months ago.
   4. Galvanize the chapters and unite for an official visit to renew bonds and identify future projects.
   5. Assist the Jamaica chapter in coordinating the upcoming reunion 2008.
   6. Get the name of the association in the public’s eye and rally the troops-other Sharpites.
   7. Coordinate a luncheon for 3rd year students in May 2008.
   8. Appoint committees necessary to help us move into 2008-09.
   9. Launch a Mega Raffle.

We have, against all odds, either accomplished or are on our way to accomplishing all our objectives and have surpassed our expectations!

The education faire is well underway, this past month, a faculty member and Director in the Reading and Language Arts Department at Central Connecticut State University made a verbal commitment to donate books and delegate some of her students to serve on our mission this summer. The New York chapter is very active in revving up its members to give supplies and books, to fill a container ready to be shipped to Montego Bay. Our Leaders in this arena, Glenna Clarke and Norah Wilkinson, have committed extensive time in recruiting teachers and coordinating their efforts with the Jamaica chapter to put plans in place.

Plans for the 2008 Health faire are well on the way, dedication and hard work are the key ingredients that has air-marked this venture for success. Doctors, dentists, ophthalmologists, and nurses have been recruited to give service to at least 1,400 people within a 4 day period. In January, a 5 member delegation of past students (3 from North America, 2 from Jamaica) along with Dr Walden and Dr Thomas-Chantilou (appointed lead physician for medical mission), met with the Ministry of Health’s Dr Ponnada and Nurse Gilling for a summit and a fact finding mission. We visited the Catherine Hall and Granville clinics and SSTC campus to determine the best possible site to conduct the health faire. The decision was unanimous to use the campus and the Granville clinic. The decision was also made to adopt the Granville clinic and to modernize it within the next 5 years (not yet official).

To date, we have submitted certification to the Ministry of Health in Jamaica, for 9 doctors (3 dentist) and 9 nine nurses to conduct this July 2008 mission. They will be working alongside local health professionals. On January 26, I met with our medical team, at a reception held in Maryland to discuss matters relating to travel, lodging, meals, transportation and expectations for this group of volunteers. Dr Thomas-Chantilou, who is a surgeon in Jamaica, graciously accepted the invitation and joined us by telephone; she answered questions from the other members of the medical team and prepared them mentally for the assignment at hand. The meeting was lively; most of the professionals already have supplies that they will donate to the cause; a dental chair, auto claves, medications and other supplies are among the offerings. They have also recommended the services of other doctors and so, we may have an addition of 2 doctors and 2 dentists.

Sponsorships for this mission are beginning to come alive. We have had pledges, donations, personal drives, and sponsorship from major businesses rolling in to make a difference. Steven Kerr has created the opportunity for us to negotiate with The Culture of Health, Art, Sports & Education Fund (CHASE) in Jamaica to pay for all testing done during the mission. This will serve to defray thousands of dollars in medical expenses for individuals seeking help. Carlton Grant, Carol Grant-Gordon, Linda Coy-Gilling together have committed thousands of dollars in cash and

kind to help our cause. Many other individuals have contributed in their own way.

In 2006, we donated Multi media equipment to the college and committed to an annual donation. So as to keep good on our promise, this year, at our official visit, we will present 3 television sets along with 3 DVD/VHS players, Scrabble, Rummikub, and Monopoly among other board games. Dr Walden has identified sections of each of the 3 residential blocks to mount and secure the TV sets and DVD/VHS players for the benefit of the students. A team of delegates will converge on the campus for another summit, during this time we will:

   1. Meet with Dr Walden.
   2. Launch Mission 2008.
   3. Launch Mega Raffle 2008.
   4. Meet the members of the Faculty.
   5. Meet the member of the student council and 3rd year representatives.
   6. Meet the member/s of the board of governors.
   7. Meet with our representative, Steven Kerr, on the Board.
   8. Meet with student body (if possible).
   9. Discuss short and long term plans for the PSA as they relate to the college.
  10. Meet with the local chapter to discuss plans for this summer.
  11.  Present the gifts to SSTC/Students.
  12. Join the students on their annual sports day affair.
  13. Meet with local politicians and other prominent community members.

The delegates on this mission include, from North America, Ferdinand Bright (President NY Chapter, Carol Gordon (Coordinator of the Medical Mission), Carlton Grant (CEB Ambassador), Norah Wilkinson (Deputy Chair CEB and Coordinator of Education Mission), Linda Coy-Gilling (member/sponsor), and yours truly. We hope to have a representative from the Florida chapter also.

Negotiations are underway to host Reunion 2008 in Jamaica. It is a pleasure to announce that our elegant dinner dance is scheduled to be hosted at Holiday Inn Resorts, Montego Bay. The reunion is slated to be a 3 day event- Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Continued talks between the CEB and the local chapter will ensure success.

The Ambassador of the association, Mr. Carlton Grant made a mission trip to Jamaica in December 2007. He addressed many issues, and made a concentrated effort to reach past students across the island. He was successful in recruiting a number of them for this summer’s activities. Robert Edwards (President of the Jamaica chapter) and Monica Campbell (PR and Liaison for the CEB in Jamaica) are actively recruiting past students in and around the St James communities; the response has been very encouraging. An advertising campaign will be launched in February to recruit members through the local papers in Jamaica. We implore each of you to continue to seek out past students and help them to come home, especially for this summers mission and reunion activities.

In May 2008, the first annual 3rd year luncheon will be coordinated by the PSA in an effort to recruit new past students immediately after graduation so that they form the core of the future of the PSA. The first luncheon will be held at Holiday Inn Resorts Montego Bay later this year. I am happy to announce that the total cost of this year’s luncheon will be undertaken by our Ambassador, Carlton Grant.

In order for us to enter 2009 with constitutionally protected appointments and committees, each chapter is required to name individuals to serve as representatives on particular committees. These slots should have been filled by January 2008. Some of the critical committees named in our constitution are Electoral, Caucus of Ranking members, and the Executive committees. We are encouraging the member chapters to coordinate their effort with our Ambassador Carlton Grant to get this important detail in place as early as possible.

As was promised, a budget was delivered in December 2007. As a further requirement, we will also submit an independent budget on the upcoming 2008 medical/education mission. This will be delivered by Feb 15, 2008.

In an ongoing effort to serve, we have agreed to offer a scholarship to one student this year; the student must be in good academic standing, must be community service oriented and must be experiencing a certain degree of hardship. The PSA will review and grant such request accordingly, further details to follow.

With the fact finding mission and certification process out of the way, we now focus our attention on obtaining medicine and medical supplies; along with books and educational material to fill a container to leave NY by early May 2008. Cash donations are welcome. I urge you to reach out to your friends and associates who are doctors, pharmacist, nurses, educators, entrepreneurs and others to help where they can in donating and/or soliciting others to contribute to this worthy cause. Keep in mind that expiration date on medications cannot be earlier than July 2009.

The PSA Mega Raffle will be launched in February 2008. Tickets go on sale March 1st, 2008. Tickets will be sold internationally- Sharpites throughout the world will participate in the sale of these tickets. You are encouraged to do your part in reaching our goal of US$50,000.00 in ticket sales by July 25, 2008. The success of this mission depends on the sale of these tickets-Let us make this a success.

So far this has been a very challenging year for most of us. However, I want to congratulate the people who have been actively involved in the pursuit of success of this mission. Extended time, personal funds and effort have been placed in the plans for this year’s activities. We should not take it for granted. I want to show my heart felt gratitude to each of you who have given service to this cause-every minute, every penny counts. However, I would be remiss if I completed this message without mentioning the dedication and commitment of the following people: Carol Grant-Gordon, Carlton Grant, Valrie Ferguson, Ferdinand Bright, Steven Kerr, Dr Thomas-Chanitlou (Medical Officer of Health- Westmoreland and lead physician of the medical mission), Dr Walden, Robert Edwards, Glenna Clarke, Norah Wilkinson, Monica Campbell, Linda Coy-Gilling (running marathon for the organization; already deposited over $1000 in CEB bank Account), Shantel Harris (Ministry of Health, Kingston), Dr Ponnada (Medical Officer of Health-Western Jamaica), all the doctors, dentist, nurses teachers and administrators who have already signed on for Mission 2008. The team has grown exponentially since September 2007!

I close with the following words:

SERVICE, COMMITTEMENT, EXCELLENCE.