Coinciding with World AIDS Day on Tuesday, December 1 and benefiting an organization to help Jamaican children with HIV, the Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO) charity will hold its annual Scholarship Gala in Queens at the Crowne Plaza Hotel near LaGuardia Airport.
The fund-raiser will help Project Smiles, a Jamaica AIDS Support for Life program that assists children affected by HIV, said COJO founder and chairman Gary Williams. JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Sandals Resorts International are among the supporters of the event.
For tickets, call 888-275-0121 toll free, or visit www.cojokids.org for information and sponsorship opportunities. Online donations are also being accepted for the event.
Joey Lewis Orchestra arrives December 6
There is some very good news for area fans of the popular Trinidad and Tobago-based Joey Lewis Orchestra - the band is finally on its way to New York.
A problem in travel arrangements, which postponed a planned November appearance by the group, has been solved, and the orchestra is scheduled to perform on Saturday, December 6 in Brooklyn at the new Tropical Paradise Ballroom, at 363 Utica Avenue (between Foster Avenue and Farragut Road). The show is being presented by Unique Caribbean Promotions and Tropical Paradise.
Tickets, priced at $45, are available at Brooklyn’s Tropical Paradise Restaurant, at Utica Avenue and Avenue D, and other neighborhood outlets. Tickets purchased for the original November date will be honored. For information, call 917-447-2323, or contact Tropical Paradise Restaurant at 718-629-3500.
Millions to help storm-hit Haiti
The World Bank last week approved a $20 million grant to help storm-ravaged Haiti rebuild and make emergency repairs to bridges, roads and other key infrastructure impacted by Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike. Visit www.worldbank.org/ht online for more information on the World Bank’s work in Haiti.
Sweeten the holidays
Add some Guyanese flavor to your holiday season by giving scrumptious mini, 8-inch and 10-inch black cakes, specially made greeting cards and mixed fruit for baking from the Hybiskus Creations company.
The Caribbean-style cakes, made with five-year-old aged Guyanese rum, can be ordered in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and they make great gifts.
The handcrafted greeting cards, which can be personalized for families or businesses, are available individually or in sets of five. To order any of the items or get more information, call 718-209-5207 or e-mail clairegoring@aol.com
Tropicana show for Thanksgiving
The popular ensemble Tropicana will perform in Queens on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. The show, presented by La Classe Productions, will be held at the Hillside Banquet House, 206-12 Hillside Avenue in Queens Village. Tickets are $30. Call 917-859-8790 or 718-776-6900 for information.
Where the beautiful people are seen
Singers Rihanna and Lenny Kravitz, model Naomi Campbell, actor/model Tyson Beckford and racecar driver Lewis Hamilton are part of the stunning collection of famous folks in the current issue of Ocean Style magazine.
The high-end lifestyle publication’s “51 Most Beautiful People” highlight celebrities with good looks, impressive talents and notable accomplishments. Visit www.oceanstylemagazine.com for information about the magazine, which can be found in New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami and the Caribbean.
Sending toys to Jamaica
An effort to bring toys to Jamaican children for Christmas is underway. The project is an initiative of the Jamaica Early Childhood Development Foundation, and is being led by Lorna Golding, the wife of Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding. The foundation is working to improve early childhood education in the island nation.
There are drop-off locations for donated toys in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Monetary donations are also being accepted by check payable to the Jamaica Early Childhood Development Foundation, and mailed to: JECDF, c/o Consulate General of Jamaica, 767 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For a list of drop-off points and information, call the consulate at 212-935-9000.
Real deals for St. Kitts and Nevis
There is still time to take advantage of special hotel and vacation offers on St. Kitts and Nevis. Through Sunday, December 14, travelers can get up to $500 in savings through the “Fall in Love with St. Kitts & Nevis” program, which includes all properties on St. Kitts and selected properties on Nevis.
Guests at selected properties can “Stay Four Nights, Pay for Three,” or “Stay Seven Nights, Pay for Five.” In addition, during this offer, cancellation fees have been waived.
For this offer, travelers must make reservations between now and December 12, for travel between now and December 14, 2008. Make reservations through a travel agent or contact a hotel directly. Visit www.stkittstourism.kn for information on the program and the islands.
Investment/retirement opportunities
Despite these shaky economic times, there are still investment opportunities in Jamaica, according to Jamaica National Building Society General Manager Earl Jarrett, who addressed the “Wealth Creation Roundtable” event at the New York Hilton Hotel and Towers in Manhattan recently.
Jarrett, speaking to Jamaican-Americans and other potential investors, touted investment in Jamaica for those planning to retire to the island. Visit www.jnbs.com online for information.
This column is reprinted from the November 9 Sunday editions of The New York Daily News. If you have items suitable for this column please e-mail them to jmccallister@nydailynews.com.
