Cadets Christmas Dinner
Cayman: Christmas Dinner Brings Cadets Together
- Some 150 cadets and officers from six detachments across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac came together for Christmas dinner on Saturday 5 December.
- Dinner paid tribute to work done during COVID including work supporting both the National Emergency Operations Centre’s Communications Centre and the management of Government’s mandatory isolation facilities.
GRAND CAYMAN (GIS) – Some 150 cadets and officers of the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps, from six detachments across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, came together for the first time, for a Christmas dinner on Saturday, 5 December 2020.
The event which took place at the Grand Cayman Marriott paid tribute to volunteers, cadets, and officers in the various detachments for their achievements throughout the year.
The six cadet corps’ detachments are
- Band detachment
- CHHS detachment
- JGHS detachment
- LSHS detachment
- Marine detachment
- Triple C detachment
Individuals recognised for their achievement included:
- CHHS Runner- up Cadet of the Year Cdt Sauntie Kelly
- JGHS Runner-up Cadet of the Year Cdt Junay Jackson
- LSHS Runner-up Cadet of the Year Cdt Vashti Moodie
- Marine Runner-up cadet of the Year Cdt Yohance Garraway
- CHHS Cadet of the Year Cdt Adorre James
- JGHS Cadet of the Year LCpl Marrissa Wright
- LSHS Cadet of the Year Cdt Jaheem Hayles
- Marine Cadet of the Year Cdt Taylan Dehaney
- CHHS Runner- up NCO of the Year Cpl Michaiah Thompson
- CHHS NCO of the Year Cpl Jonathan Henny
- LSHS Runner-up NCO of the Year Cpl Naomi Carter
- LSHS NCO of the Year Cpl Aliyah Williams
- JGHS Runner-up NCO of the Year Sgt Teejhan Hansraj
- JGHS NCO of the Year Sgt Okezie Eleweayna
- Marine NCO of the Year AB Dru McLaughlin
- Appreciation Award for work and dedication 2Lt Michael Savage
- Appreciation Award for work and dedication 2Lt Dennis Williams
- Appreciation Award for work and dedication Midshipman Davor Bonilla
- Appreciation Award for 12 years of service Lt Cmd Robert Sutherland
- Appreciation Award for 10 years of service Lt Icilma Cornelius
- Appreciation Award for 12 years of service WO1 Mario Garraway
Commenting at the dinner CICC Commandant Lt Colonel Bobeth O’Garro noted the particular impact of COVID-19 on the work of the corps as well as its community service initiatives.
Everyone, she said, had persevered and found ways to accomplish training targets, including virtual classes and testing and other innovative forms of service delivery such as social media. “You rose to the occasion and did your part. We are extremely proud of you. Well done.”
Cadets also engaged in a number of community service projects supporting the National Emergency Operations Centre Communication Centre as well as residential management of Government’s mandatory isolation facilities.
The youth development organisation, whose members are male and female high school students between the ages of 12 and 17, also created the well-received “Sweet Cayman Kind” song to support and motivate the Cayman Islands community.
Cadets likewise provided entertainment throughout the evening, including the Layman Scott High School detachment singing ‘Feliz Navidad’, and individual cadets performing on the harp and steel pan.
Special guest speaker, retired Marine Master Sergeant Andrew McLaughlin, the President of the Cayman Islands Veterans Society (CIVS) attended the event his wife Shadden, also a Marine veteran, and a retired Marine Private First Class. He spoke on the theme “perseverance despite the challenges”, a fitting theme for 2020.
More information about the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps and the opportunities that it makes available to young people is available from www.cicadetcorps.ky, and the organisation’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
