Centenary celebrations of the SVG Girl Guide Association climax with parade

After a packed year of activities, the members of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Girl Guide Association culminated its centenary celebrations on Tuesday with a parade through the streets of Kingstown.

Accompanied by the police band, Girl Guides, Ranger Guides, Brownies, Bim Bims {{more}}and their respective leaders, as well as executive and council members, came out in their numbers and demonstrated that guiding was “100 strong” in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

In addition to being decked out in the full uniforms that are worn in St Vincent and the Grenadines, uniforms from the other 145 countries around the world where guiding is present were on display.

As the march culminated at the Girl Guide Headquarters in Level Gardens, president of the Association, René Baptiste thanked guiders and leaders for their hard work in ensuring that the countries around the world were represented in the centenary parade.

“We have given a lesson about the history and the span and scope of guiding throughout the world and I know that several of the persons looking on didn’t realize that we had guides in so many parts of the world. From every corner of planet earth, there are Girl Guides,” Baptiste said.

While the parade signals the culmination of the centenary celebrations, the president disclosed that there are other activities scheduled to take place in this year.

Additionally, a centenary publication is expected to be released in 2015, which will capture the celebrations of this year, as well as many other aspects of guiding in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Activities of the centenary celebrations this year included the launch of a centenary song; the 100-leg relay from Fitz-Hughes to Georgetown, where guiding was started; the painting of a centenary mural; a music festival dubbed “Voice, Body and Soul;” a Gala Dinner; a Photo Exhibition; a centenary camp with guides and volunteers from the Caribbean and Suriname; and a toast to 100 years campfire.

Gratitude was expressed by the president and chief commissioner Rechanne Browne-Matthias to volunteers, parents and well-wishers, who helped to make the parade and the other events a success.(BK)