7th Annual Farm-to-Table Awards Presentation History of GARD Center & Awardee
7th Annual Farm-to-Table Awards Presentation
History of GARD Center & Awardee held on 8th May, 2024
WELCOME AND HISTORY OF GARD CENTER by June Jackson (Executive Director)
Good morning
Welcome to the formal Awards Presentation of the 7th Annual Farm-to-Table charity luncheon. We wish to thank you for joining us today. GARD Center truly appreciates your continued support.
Due to inclement weather on Saturday, 13th April, at the start of the Awards section of our Farm-to-Table event, we were unable to properly acknowledge our Sponsors, Farmers and Chefs because of the
blessings of rain.
Today, we are also here to honour a very special person who has been with the GARD Center, even before it was called the Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development Center. Before 1989, the initial project was called the Young Farmers Training Project and this was initially a 2-year Pilot Project introduced in the Caribbean (from the British Virgin Islands in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south) and it was funded by the Canada Training Awards Programme.
On Antigua, this training programme was carried out in collaboration with the government of Antigua and Barbuda and the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas (who provided land). This programme was to encourage persons to take up farming as a profession, since the majority of farmers were over the age of 55. The Center started primarily as an Agricultural training institution as the name suggests.
Out of that project, came the Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development Center, now affectionately known as the GARD Center, which was led by a Dynamic Woman, who achieved what you see here around us today.
She was the first Executive Director of the Center, which started with one file cabinet, a desk and six students.
Throughout the years, the GARD Center diversified its programmes to meet the needs of its target groups, Women and Youth (16 – 35 years). The Center depends heavily on international and regional funding for the bulk of its programmes. Unfortunately, a number of these donor partners have shifted their priorities and/or have withdrawn funding from the Region.
Farm-to-Table is a social movement which promotes serving local food at restaurants and at other eating places and is quite popular in North America. The concept is that the consumer would be able to directly
access fresh locally grown or produced foods from the producer, be it vegetable crops, fish, livestock, or poultry. This assures the consumer of being able to trace their food source, “knowing where your food comes
from.”
The GARD Center has developed this concept with a twist and has introduced a New Dining Experience to Antigua and Barbuda. While much of the food served at our Farm-to-Table Fundraiser luncheon is
produced locally, we have some of the top chefs from hotels and restaurants on island preparing mouthwatering dishes for our clientele.
This event brings together farmers and their produce, along with some of the country’s top local chefs who create exquisite cuisine with the freshest ingredients. This unique dining experience offers sophistication and takes place
outdoors in the tranquil surroundings of our Gilbert Agro-heritage Nature Center, where Patrons will experience top class dining.
This all began in 2014, with our non-profit, nongovernmental organization which operates under the auspices of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas, held meetings trying to determine how to raise funds to continue the Center’s work of empowering the youth of Antigua and Barbuda, and providing them with vocational, technical training and entrepreneurship skills to become productive citizens. A member of this Committee Mrs. Barbara Japal came up with an unique idea which launched our Signature, now Annual Farm-to-Table
Fundraiser in 2015. The first year we had 3 private chefs who worked tirelessly with us to produce meals based on Sweet Potatoes. Our Premier Sponsor – the James and Maginley Charity and Care Foundation, has been with our major fundraising event from year 2; we are truly grateful for their stellar sponsorship. In addition, this year, we
also have on board, the Community First Cooperative Credit Union, for the 2nd year in a row. They have sponsored this Awards ceremony, plaques and certificates.
Tamarind Hills Antigua has once again donated a Weekend for 2 at their luxurious resort as the major prize at our Chinese Auction. The Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association sourced Gift Certificates
from Tropical Adventures and Dinner for 2 from Blue Waters and Spa. These draws will be done shortly. Sponsorship this year was alsoreceived from APUA Inet.
We also wish to thank everyone who has Volunteered, Donated and assisted us in anyway, your good deeds have not gone unnoticed. This morning, we wish to say thank you and express our gratitude to our
Farmers, who willingly donate some of their produce every year. Our farmers continue to produce high quality food to nurture our bodies.
This contributes to our local economy and lends toward food security. To all of our magnificent Chefs, the hotels and organizations which you represent, mere words cannot truly express how much we appreciate all of you. These Chefs take the locally produced food and create delicious meals. We continue to add to the local menu, the more variety the
Farmers can grow the more specialties our Chefs can produce.
This year our Awards were sponsored by the Community First Cooperative Credit Union, and to them we are greatly thankful. We are going to have a brief presentation shortly. Will the Farmers and Chefs present please come forward when your name is called. Those who are not present will receive their tokens at a later date.
Mrs. Roberta Williams led this organization admirably from its inception in November 1989 until her retirement in 2018. Under her tenure the Center was able to become a non-profit organization and was incorporated in June 2003, although it still functions under a Board and the auspices of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the
Americas, who have graciously allowed us to continue to utilize 5 acres of their property where we are currently situated. Mrs. Williams was able to get many grants to benefit the Youth in this country, particularly the
vulnerable and those at-risk. Roberta was very instrumental in writing projects to achieve this. Once she saw a need by the Youth, there was no stopping her. In her view the Center needed to expand in order to reach more youth, and beyond agriculture. Once she had an idea, there was no stopping her. The need for expansion to offer more training opportunities, led to more project writing.
The first expansion was the government of Antigua and Barbuda graciously allowed the Center to operate from its former ABS Radio station, across the road. Somehow although a major benefit and expansion, we could do better. More projects were written and more training opportunities were afforded to the Youth.
So, why stop there. Project proposals were submitted to the Japanese government in Trinidad and Tobago, and the first building (the blue one) was funded and one room was to serve as an agricultural classroom and the other a computer lab. Today, we will be renaming this to be known as the Emanuel Building. A few years later, the need to expand again became evident and the Embassy of the People of Japan was again approached and yes, the Peach building, was constructed to house a Workshop/ Conference room; a Counsellor room, a private area where
Youth with issues could be helped. There was also a storeroom included. This building will now be known as the Roberta M. Williams building.
I am sure if you look to the West, you will see a third building, the Purple one, yes, you guessed correctly. The Japanese Embassy once again came to the Center’s assistance. This time the focus had shifted to Tourism and training of Youth who did not have the academic qualification or the finances to attend the Premier Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute. It contains a Training kitchen and a storeroom. (Please note, the Center is not in competition with the ABHTI, we merely set the foundation for these students).
of these buildings are used for conducting training sessions.
This is as brief as I can get, to honour this phenomenal woman. It was decided that one of these training areas should carry her name as a reminder of her dedication and service to the GARD Center.
Please join me in standing as we salute, Mrs. Roberta M. Williams.