A little more about the HHA2006 nominees

Please read at your leisure. In this post I have included the '200 words or less' statements written by those who sent in submissions for nominees for the HHHA2006. The judges felt it was not fair to select a nominee based on what had been written by nominators (as some nominators might have written more 'convincingly' than others). The judges therefore interviewed nominees and references for themselves and the winner will be chosen based on all information gathered.
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BELOW, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, ARE THE NOMINEES FOR THE HHHA2006.

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CATHERINE CHADEE (as written by the person who nominated her):
Officially, Kathy has a daycare. I say officially because this is how we would describe it in the everyday world, but unofficially, or as I prefer to say, spiritually, she offers a place that all beings, whether human or animal, whether adult or child, long for a place of CARE. When I think of Kathy I think of an acronym for CARE - Concern, Affection, Respect, Education. This is the secret to what makes her unique, she understands in this fast-past, impersonal world in which we live, that some things, like the CARE of others, never changes. It is amazing to me to see children who are now 5, 6, 7, even 8, returning to Kathy, holiday after holiday when their parents are at work, returning here like if they had never left. When I drop off my son who has left Kathy's daycare more than two years ago, he walks into her house, after not having seen her for months, like if he has never left. We as mothers are always looking for a daycare, a babysitter, some good help; often we judge this by how clean the place is, how good the toys are, how well our children will be fed and what list of activities will occupy them for the day. When you go to Kathy's house, there is no never-ending supply of fancy toys, no posh playpens, no long itenery of how they will be occupied for the day, she tells us simply, that this is just her home. It is then we remember that we cannot judge something that is not technical by technical criteria, children might like toys but they love to be loved. Kathy makes the babies big, the grumpy cool, the selfish kind, all this done by a simple lady in a simple home, who reminds us that life is simple, that love is simple and that, as parents who get stressed by how hard it is, that CARE is simple.
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AKILA JARAMOGIE (as written by the person who nominated her):
I nominate Akila Jaramogi for the Happy Hippy Hero's Award 2006. Her determined and gentle spirit has been the inspiration behind the re-afforestation of the Fondes Amandes hill, her terrific children and the once 'squatter' community of the area. She has somehow engendered in them a passion for their environment and the land which has its, literally, fruit in the running stream, the cascade and the trees and shrubs from which she creates her wonderful jewelry and accessories and which the young men celebrate with their drumming. She has even managed to change the hearts of the tenured residents of the area and her education programme with schools must surely leave an impression on the young children who wander the trails absorbing the sensations of the forest and the faunal communities it shelters. For me she is a hero, and I respect her very much.
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KAY NARINESINGH (as written by the person who nominated her):
My nominee is involved in: prison service throughout Trinidad, helping prisioners, invloved in women's groups, mother's groups, homeless homes groups and does a lot of community service. She lives for helping people of all walks of life.
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PATRICIA ROE (as written by the person who nominated her):
Miss Roe has taught at the Caribbean School of Dancing ("Dancing" not "Dance"!!) for the last 39 and a half years. She is the teacher with the longest tenure in the school and will celebrate her fortieth year of teaching in 2007. Along with the other teachers of the school, she has dedicated her life to teaching and molding dancers. Her inimitable style of teaching is something that many of the graduates of the school cherish greatly. According to many, she can spot the dancer in you immediately, and work on both your strengths and your weaknesses to make you the best performer that you could be, often teaching you some of life's lessons along the way. Many who have gone on to become professional dancers in other parts of the world seek her out when they return to Trinidad and Tobago, for technical advice or just to say hello, and those ex-CSD dance practitioners who have remained also continue to value her advice. That is the beauty of a great teacher. The nomination, therefore, is just a way of honouring teachers and their longterm impact on their students.
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EMMA SLOANESEALE (as written by the person who nominated her):
At the tender age of 74, my mother has taken into her house 3 young adults from difficult circumstances who could very well be jobless and homeless if not for her. She also opens her house to YMCA international visitors on the drop of a hat and over the years has been mother, counselor, loans officer and social/lifeskills instructor to many a young person....myself included. I have taken for granted the many things she has done over the years to assist her family, friends and now youths that I have introduced her to that I think it is fair to call her a true Happy Hippy and award her according....plus she is the queen of recycling and thrift so a clay quenk would be the best:-)