Fuelled by a Facebook competition which ran last week on the Antiguanice Facebook fan page, avid fans logged on every day for the chance to win a weeks intensive swimming course being offered by Swalings, as part of the current Antiguanice.com feature promoting summer camps, courses and activities for children during the long summer holidays.
On the last day each of the four finalists had to answer the question ‘If you were to win today, who will be taking the Swalings Intensive Swim Course and why is it important for that person to win?’ Judges thought it would make the decision process easier, only to find out that it made it much harder, as not only were all the potential winners children between the ages of 6 and 13 and desperately wanting to learn to swim, but two of them were born with disabilities affecting their confidence to do so.
Antigua Nice joint owner Alison Sly-Adams contacted Jonny Ingle, acting country manager of Digicel to see if they could help as Digicel recently announced its sponsorship of a summer camp being held by the Antigua and Barbuda Persons with Disabilities. Digicel responded very positively and agreed to sponsor one of the children to receive one on one tuition, which along with the one weeks course already being offered by Swalings, meant that two children will be learning to swim.
In a meeting on Tuesday at the Jolly Harbour Sports Club where the tuition and classes will take place, Ingle along with Zoe Swatton director of Swalings Antigua Ltd., handed over the certificate and a starter pack all children receive prior to starting their swim course to mother Vernal Thomas and 8 year old daughter Croquannia, winner of the tuition. The smile on Croquannia’s face said it all. She is excited about learning to swim.
Both Digicel and Swalings are now in talks with the Antigua and Barbuda Association of Persons with Disabilities about what they can do to enhance the summer camp for the children attending this year.
Antiguanice.com continue to run their Facebook competition, and this week are giving away a weeks Sailing Summer Camp at the Antigua Yacht Club. The competition is all part of promoting the activity of sailing and swimming as curriculum options being made possible by the National Sailing Academy this coming school term. Interested parents and students can check out www.nationalsailingacademy.org for more information and to take part in the competition visit www.facebook.com/antiguanice
