The Tribune

BAHAMAS DOWN SYNDROME ASSOCIATION

The Bahamas Down Syn- drome Association is to hold a buddy walk-fest on Saturday, October 21, from 8am to noon.

Registration costs $20 and begins at 7am. The walk starts at 8am, travel- ling from Goodman’s Bay and going west to Com- monwealth Bank and back to Goodman’s Bay.

Advanced participants may continue to Super Value West before return- ing to Goodman’s Bay.

For more details, con- tact 445-7108 or 427-1492, or email bahamasdown- syndromeassociation@ gmail.com, or visit Down Syndrome Association Bahamas on Facebook.

GIRL GUIDES

Sunflowers, Brownies, Guides and Ranger Guides enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to celebrate the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child on October 11 and concentrated on activities to develop their emotional resilience.

Through discussion the girls were led to understand that emotional resilience comes from having good self-esteem. Developing good self-esteem about their physical appearance was related to several Biblical verses.

Age-appropriate activities to build good self-esteem ranged from animated discussion about society’s “ideal physical features of a girl” and overcoming stereotypes in career choice to listening to stories, creating positive messages, developing displays, identifying and illustrating emotions and singing songs while having fun.

Girls engaged in activities in Abaco, Andros, Grand Bahama, Harbour Island and throughout New Providence. The many reports received from the leaders provided evidence that the celebrations achieved their purpose. “We had a blast today. The girls were very expressive about the ways in which they have been hurt by others. They gave really good responses as to how to deal with some of these triggers,” said Brown Owl Sabrina at Temple Christian School.

“It was wonderful to have the voices (messages) of so many girls being heard and shared with their school or church community,” said Miss Louise Barry, programme chairperson.

KIWANIS CLUB OF OVER-THE-HILL

On Saturday, October 14, the Kiwanis Club of Over-The-Hill held its 49th installation of officers and installed Dominique Gaitor as the 49th president of the club.

Under the theme “Serving with Passion and Strength” the new president challenged the members of the club to “touch as many lives, especially the nation’s youth, through love and service”.

The Kiwanis Club of Over-The-Hill was organised on September 24, 1975, and is celebrating its 48th year of service. The club remains the only all-men’s Kiwanis club in Sunshine Division 22, Bahamas, under the Eastern Cananda and Caribbean District of Kiwanis International.

ROTARY SATELLITE CLUB OF NASSAU

The Rotary Satellite Club of Nassau on Cat Island (RSCN), along with the Department of Local Government on Great Inagua donated the cash prizes for the Great Inagua essay and speech competition scheduled for Wednesday, October 25. The cash prizes are first $500.00, second $300.00 and third $150.00 totalling $950.00.

The essay and speech competition is one of the premiere events of the Great Inagua school year, which takes place during October, youth month. The student participants range in age from grade seven through to grade twelve.

Family Island administrator and RSCN member Herman Gilbert made the presentation to Mrs Farquharson, president of the Great Inagua Youth Committee on October 12 at the Administrator’s Office. This donation will provide great assistance to the youth of Great Inagua.

SAC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

The “Lighthouse Award” is the highest form of recognition given by SACA. It is a “Hall of Fame”, if you will. The award represents the physical achievement of ideals instilled in every student who receives a SAC education.

The Uncle Lou Award recognises singularly Basil “The Kid” Sands who has demonstrated outstanding loyalty, commitment, unselfish and dedicated service to SAC, the Bahamian community and received prominent public national acknowledgment for his achievements.

Basil “The Kid” Sands, born on July 1, 1955, to the late Elaine Sands Nee Turner Sands and Basil John Sands both SACers hailing from the very first beginnings of St Augustine’s College (SAC)/ Xaviers (Seton’s) in 1945. Basil John was a man’s man, a Renaissance man who started out in the original cohort of SAC. Basil senior was a championship athlete during the embryonic stage of basketball ruling the courts of the day as the St Bernards’ backcourt tandem affectionately called the Great Mitchilli & Bazilli… friends inseparable! (uncle, LeRoy Mitchell and father Basil John Sands).

The Sands hailed from Lewis St, Nassau, Bahamas. Basil’s parents hosted several national and internationally renowned figures such as Dr Martin Luther King, Sidney Poitier and Ralph Abernathy, leaders in the struggle for justice and equality in the United States and the World.

The honoree embarked on his educational journey at St Francis Xavier’s Lower School, followed by St Thomas More Catholic Primary, before finding his way to Saint Augustine’s College following in his parent’s footsteps. Although his parents moved to Freeport Grand Bahama, Basil remained committed to attending SAC and started his tutelage as a boarder in September 1967, alongside his brother Desmond. Their pre-high school introduction came during their enrollment in SAC’s Camp Arawak, a multi-discipline sports and leadership summer camp for boys which was held at the St Augustine’s Monastery campus.

As fate would have it, Basil “The Kid’s” first encounter of renowned teacher and camp coach Leviticus “Uncle Lou” Adderley who was a Minnesota State tennis champion and championship wrestler that attended SAC before matriculating to St John’s University, in Collegeville, Minnesota. Uncle Lou’s first coaching encounter of this “Kid” (a quick study) was his teaching him the basic wrestling moves for competition where Basil took the gold, edging out his brother Desmond.

In contemplating the uninterrupted decades of SAC dominance, Sharon “The General” Storr, an accomplished SAC basketball, softball and volleyball champion in his own right, recounts a conversation that he’d had with his venerable coach, Lou Adderley who he’d asked which of the many great student athletes that he’d coached and mentored and he said in an exasperating tone “Basil Sands was “that one” who could become internationally great “if only he took his talent and craft more seriously”.

Uncle Lou himself, as a student athlete continued to hone his skills under the able tutelage of the Benedictine Monks, of the very same order of the SAC founder Fr Frederick Frey and his successor Fr Bonaventure (John) Dean the first Bahamian to lead this monastic order.

Throughout his five years at SAC, Basil showcased his incredible talent across various sports, including softball, volleyball, basketball, swimming and diving, track, as well as debate and speech teams. His exceptional leadership skills led him to captain all the teams he participated in, culminating in numerous victories during his senior year.

Awarded a basketball scholarship, Basil embarked on his college journey in 1972, enrolling at St Gregory’s College in Shawnee, Oklahoma, to study business administration. However, his passion for economics led him to switch his focus to Mankato State University in Minnesota, USA, where he pursued a degree in economics with a minor in accounting, which he obtained in 1978.

Following college, Basil devoted considerable time to basketball, representing the Bahamas internationally as shooting guard on National Teams in various competitions abroad. Amongst many, Basil was Uncle Lou’s pride, same as his Hall of Fame, Vince “Geech” Ferguson that coached his senior boys’ championship basketball. coach (Class of 1972).

In business, in the early 80s, Basil joined Saybolt International in Grand Bahama, specialising in quantitative and qualitative bulk oil analysis. He transitioned to the Hotel Industry in 1984 as an income auditor at Walker’s Cay Hotel and Marina. A year later, he joined The Lucayan Beach Resort and Casino in Freeport, where he excelled in the accounts department and eventually became the Manager of Information Technology in the computer department.

In 1997, after the property was purchased by Hutchinson, Basil worked as a consultant before eventually joining Hutchinson Wompoa on the design team, taking charge of information technology infrastructure. Over his 12-year tenure, he rose to the position of director of information technology.

Throughout his illustrious career, Basil also served in various capacities, including a brief stint at Chances in the technology field in 2009 and later as part of the IT department at the Ministry of Tourism in Nassau. Concurrently, he worked for two years dealing with cruise and maritime affairs while actively contributing to the Crisis Committee at Tourism.

In 2018, when the government purchased The Grand Lucayan, Basil was called upon to spearhead the IT department, Security, and Communication as a consultant. In 2022, he was appointed as a consultant to the Gaming Board, showcasing his exceptional expertise in the field.

Basil’s life has been adorned with numerous awards and honors. He was inducted into the Grand Bahama Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and the National Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. During his senior year, he earned the most athletic male award, a testament to his sporting prowess.

Additionally, Basil received the prestigious Bahamas’ Investiture of National Honours Order of Merit Award by the hand of Cynthia A Pratt ON Governor General and Chancellor of Societies of Honour on Monday, October 9, 2023.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Basil indulges his passion for sports and is a devoted fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers in football, the Philadelphia 76ers in basketball, and the Los Angeles Dodgers in baseball. He is a doting father to five children, with nine grandchildren a few of which have followed in his footsteps. He has seven sisters and one brother. His family life is a cherished aspect, and he takes pride in being the grandfather of Labrea Sands, the #1 softball player in Florida and ranked #5 in the entire USA at just 13 years old. She has already began fielding via her parent’s college letters of interests.

In his leisure time, Basil finds solace in reading, engaging in dominoes, and enjoying social gatherings with close friends. His unwavering commitment to excellence in sports, technical expertise, and cherished family life make Basil “The Kid” Sands a remarkable and inspiring figure to all.

The SAC Alumni Association was formed over fifty years ago by former students of St. Augustine’s College to promote school spirit and to advance the causes of the School which was founded in 1945 at “The Niche”, The Priory Grounds of St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral compound, West Street in the city of Nassau, Bahamas by the Benedictine monks.

Today under the multi-term leadership of Cherelle Cartwright (SAC Class ’81) the SAC Alumni Association has become a duly incorporated entity in The Bahamas as a registered non-profit entity with fiduciary responsibility to promote its causes as a “Friends of SAC” (and community) entity that engenders best in class institutional advancement standards and fundraising integrity.

The SACA is thankful to the many donors and friends and remains thankful to these benefactors and patrons.

Recent initiatives to raise and direct funds to assist SAC with various projects include but are not limited to the following:

• Uncle Lou Walk-A-Thon

• Major donation of materials for the construction of two new convertible softball fields (proceeds of the Uncle Lou Golf Tournament)

• SAC Tuition Grant

• COVID-19 Food Relief

• Community Outreach

• The SAC Alumni Association website development and donor portal(s) development

• The SACA Lighthouse Awards

The President of the SAC Alumni Association Cherelle Cartwright is heartened by the outpouring of genuine support garnered for and on behalf of the Association and she joins with her executive as they look forward to what promises to be a landmark Lighthouse Awards event on Saturday October 21, at 6.30pm at the Baha Mar Convention Centre, Cable Beach, Nassau, Bahamas.

The SAC Alumni Association and friends of SAC are indeed thankful for the outgoing president’s untiring exemplary service and leadership. We wish her well as she seeks higher aspiration.