Year of activities planned for Girl Guide centenary

With the 100th anniversary of Girl Guiding in St Vincent and the Grenadines just around the corner, the movement is embarking on a year long celebration under the theme “Ever Alive, Celebrate and Thrive”.{{more}}

The St Vincent and the Grenadines Girl Guide Association will celebrate its 100th birthday on April 17, 2014.

At a media launch on Wednesday, Chief Commissioner Rechanne Browne-Matthias highlighted the many achievements the movement has made since being established in Georgetown by a Methodist minister in 1914.

“I think one of the greatest achievements of the movement was when we became full members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1987,” the Chief Commissioner said.

She added that since then, significant strides in Guiding have been made in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

This country is also a member of the Caribbean Link of Guiding and the Western Hemisphere of Guiding.

“Guiding is one big family. We are part of 10 million girl guides in over 145 countries,” Browne-Matthias stated.

“We continue to strive for excellence with regard to leadership training, advocacy, service…and we strive to ensure the full development of potential of all the girls and young ladies that join the movement”.

The Chief Commissioner said it is for this reason that the Association has embarked on something that will be memorable and remarkable to commemorate 100 years in existence.

Rene Baptiste, President of the Association, outlined the activities that will lead up to the centenary celebrations, including a major project that will take place in communities around the country.

“We [have begun] the project of identifying 100 communities to do 100 projects and 100 project managers,” she said.

The president explained that while it is not expected that persons in the movement will do something extravagant, they are asked to do something memorable.

“We are not asking you to build a house. We are asking you to do a project that will have a lasting memory in that community,” Baptiste stated.

Moreover, Baptiste hopes that the movement will induct 100 new guides and 100 new brownies by their anniversary next year.

Apart from the media launch held on Wednesday on their 99th birthday, Baptiste noted that the next event will take place on April 22, also Caribbean Link Day. This day will feature the anniversary launch in guiding’s place of birth, Georgetown.

Additionally, the launch of the SVG Girl Guide Association website will take place at 5 p.m. at Headquarters and will be followed by the showing of a film, depicting the History of Guiding.

An event will take place during each month leading up to the centenary celebrations, except December.

The Annual Girl Guide Fair at their headquarters at Level GardenS will also be a part of the activities and will be held on May 4.

A vintage car show will be held on July 13. Baptiste said the show will not only feature vintage cars, but old time scooters and carts made out of wood.

In August, a compilation for the centenary documentary, will take place while the documentary and other memorabilia will be released in September.

November will be the month for an unusual and innovative activity: the 100 Leg-Walk where members of the movement will identify 100 places with unusual names in St Vincent for signage. One such place will be “Carpenter’s Yard”.

The centenary magazine will be launched in January of 2014.

A bridal spectacular, beginning on February 14, will be a two-day event and will feature many interesting stalls and include a showcase of guiders and other members of the association in wedding dresses more than 50 years old.

March 8 is designated as the Day of Volunteers and 100 of them will be honoured.

A week of activities will mark Centenary Week, from April 13 to April 19, 2014. These activities will be announced in the centenary magazine.

Included in the activities will be the centenary dinner on April 17, 2014, during which 20 persons will be honoured and the centenary promise pin will be launched.

Guiding in St Vincent and the Grenadines was officially started in 1914 in Georgetown by Arthur Cox, a Methodist minister. The movement quickly spread to surrounding areas and other parts of the country. The first Brownie Pack and Ranger Unit were formed in Kingstown in 1931.(BK)