Children can be so unpredictable, especially when they get the rare opportunity to interact with the wife of the Governor-General of Jamaica. Her Excellency the Most Honourable Lady Allen graciously entertained the innocent and sometimes humorous questions asked by members of the Junior Optimist Octagon International (JOOI) Club of Kingston. The twenty-five young ‘optimists’ paid a courtesy call on Lady Allen on January 23 at King’s House.
The students were thrilled to hear the wife of the Governor-General’s response to questions such as “What does it feel like to be the wife of the Governor-General?” and “How does it feel to live at King’s House?”
The JOOI club members, who were also accompanied by executive members of the Optimist Club of Kingston, were encouraged by Lady Allen who told them to “…be proud of who you are, never cheapen yourselves for anyone”. She continued that they should not “be defined by where you are from; believe in yourselves; work hard and choose professions and skills that will benefit you in the future”.
For the past 30 years, the Optimist Club of Kingston has been touching the lives of many Jamaican children through their dedication to service.