Bahamas News
Disney Cruise Line expands @ to supporting food security across The Bahamas
ADO Bahamas partners with cruise line to build school gardens and inspire students to explore farming
Eleuthera, THE BAHAMAS (Oct. 25, 2023) – Students across The Bahamas now have the opportunity to learn first-hand how to grow their own fruits and vegetables. The Agricultural Development Organization Bahamas (ADO) and Disney Cruise Line (DCL) are teaming up together in a multi-year project to build gardens across schools in Abaco and Eleuthera.
“Disney is proud to invest in youth programs in our port communities that provide students with tools and hands-on
experiences to learn new skills,” said Joey Gaskins, Public Affairs Director for The Bahamas and Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line. “Supporting this initiative is an extension of our longstanding conservation work in The Bahamas and helps us educate students about building sustainable communities and inspire them to explore careers in farming.”
Earlier this week, ADO, DCL VoluntEARS and dozens of students came together at Preston Albury High School in Eleuthera to kick off the program, planting a variety of seedlings and building irrigation systems to start their new garden.
In addition to Preston Albury, ADO and DCL will partner to plant gardens at Central Eleuthera High, North Eleuthera High and Harbour Island All-Age School, all in Eleuthera, and Patrick J. Bethel High School in Abaco. Throughout the school year, students will maintain their gardens with help from their assigned ADO field officer, who will visit the students regularly to provide guidance and mentorship. ADO provides each school with planting exercises, supplies, soil, irrigation materials and a shade house.
“When we began providing backyard farming kits and as we expanded to school farms, we knew that it was one thing to give a person supplies and wish them luck, but another thing to help them succeed,” said Philip Smith, Executive Chairman, ADO. “That is why with each garden kit we provide comes the assignment of a field officer who will be present for the soil preparation and initial planting and visit every property with a monthly follow-up.”
The ADO’s Micro Gardens and School Farming Project provides schools with tools to teach students how to grow sustainable, healthy foods and manage their own garden. As part of its commitment to inspire the next generation while creating lasting, positive impact in The Bahamas, DCL contributed nearly $100,000 in support of the program, which will help provide tools and equipment to build new gardens at each school.
Principal of Preston Albury High School Kenneth Roberts said he was “elated beyond words” to have DCL and ADO partner with the school in its agricultural program.
“Once upon a time, Eleutherans used to export agricultural goods to the United States and Europe. We’d like to see agriculture restored on the island to allow our students to see they can have a viable, financially stable future in various fields in agriculture,” he noted.
The school’s Agriculture Science teacher, Perez Armaly, who has spent the last three years developing the farming program at Preston Albury High, said ADO and DCL’s help would go a long way.
“For the past three years, our agriculture program has been progressing slowly. With financial contributions from Disney Cruise Line and the Agricultural Development Organization, we’ve been able to purchase equipment, soil, seedlings, etc., and will now introduce elements of vertical hydroponic farming,” said Armaly. “Now students will plant sweet peppers, onions, lettuce, beets, cabbages, coconuts, and mango trees, and once harvested, they will develop business skills on how to trade their goods in the local market. They will learn that discipline and hard work pay off while helping The Bahamas achieve its goal of food security.”
Earlier this year, ADO worked with DCL VoluntEARS to build a backyard garden at the Ranfurly Homes for Children in Nassau, a local non-profit foster care organization. Since the Micro Gardens and School Farming Project’s launch in January 2022, the ADO has distributed more than 2,500 backyard farming kits in New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera and has supplied 21 schools with starter farms.
“The school initiative is so important because we have the chance to impact the minds and hearts of young people, watching as they discover the joy and satisfaction of growing what they eat and eating what they grow,” said ADO’s Smith. “If we continue to grow and harvest in this way, we will reap a healthier and more food secure Bahamas.”
Photo Caption:
Header: Joey Gaskins, Disney’s Public Affairs Director, along with Philip Smith, Executive Chairman of ADO, Disney VoluntEARS, and representatives from CTI.One Eleuthera and Cape Eleuthera, celebrate the official launch of Preston Albury High School’s community garden. Pictured L-R: Perez Armaly, Agriculture Science teacher (4th from left), Joey Gaskins (5th from left), Philip Smith, Kenneth Roberts, Principal (center), students and VoluntEARS.
Insert: Walt Disney Imagineer volunteers, Angela Wu and Jack Bodien, get their hands dirty planting seedlings at the launch of Preston Albury High School’s Community Garden, Eleuthera.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products concluded their 10 weeklong Twist To Win campaign with four $5,000 Mall at Marathon shopping sprees.
The campaign which was available throughout the entire Bahamas allowed consumers to enter by purchasing a 20oz bottle with a yellow cap
from the following brands: Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola No Sugar, Sprite, Fanta Orange, or Fanta Grape. Each yellow-cap had a unique alpha numeric code underneath which they submitted to the Twist To Win WhatsApp number.
With each qualifying purchase, participants residing in The Bahamas were entered to win instant prizes and into a grand prize draw to win one of four $5,000 shopping sprees at the Mall at Marathon.
Participants also enjoyed exciting instant prizes such as: Airpods, JBL Speakers, premium Coca-Cola merchandise, $500 Visa gift cards and Amazon, Spotify and Apple Music digital gift cards.
Out of 76,000 plus submissions, Brian Bethel, Ashia Demeritte, Merlin Adams, and Taraceta Neely won the coveted Mall at Marathon shopping sprees at the following select stores, Kelly’s House & Home, The Sports Center, John Bull, Brass & Leather, and BTC.
Leading up to the grand finale shopping spree, Coca-Cola hosted a Trivia Showdown with the eight finalists to determine the four winners. Finalists were tested on their knowledge of World History, Pop Culture, Caribbean Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Facts!
After a few rousing rounds of trivia, the four winners were declared after each winning their spot in the shopping spree by answering their questions correctly and choosing the “Grand Prize” Coca-Cola labeled bottles at random.
The morning of the shopping spree Coca-Cola gave the winners exclusive access to the Mall at Marathon and its participating stores before
their usual operating hours. Grand prize winners were greeted with wide smiles from Coca-Cola brand representatives and morning bites before the big event.
At the start of the thirty-minute clock the grand prize winners along with each of their Coca-Cola shopping assistants ran to the various stores collecting items in their arms and carts.
Merlin Adams, a husband and father of four was proud to have executed his game-plan at the end of the shopping spree. With toys, a new phone and materials for his home from Kelly’s, Adams felt accomplished in what he gathered.
Taraceta Neely, a winner from Eleuthera collected beautiful bags for herself and relatives from Brass and Leather and Brian Bethel bought matching athletic and outdoor wear from The Sports Center for his family.
The final winner Ashia Demeritte bought linens and household items in addition to a new phone from BTC right in time for Christmas.
Caribbean Bottling Company is proud to share the real magic of Coca-Cola with the grand prize winners and the may instant prize winners across the Twist To Win campaign. For more updates on new products, promotions, and events follow www.cbcbahamas.com.
Bahamas News
The Coca-Cola Art Project Astonishes Art Lovers at The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products displayed
their astonishing Coca-Cola Art Project (CCAP), during Baha Mar’s five-day Culinary & Arts Festival. Earlier this year, Coca-Cola partnered with The University of The Bahamas’ Visual Art and Design Department for a culturally rich art competition. UB’s art students were challenged to create pieces surrounding the theme, Bahamian music.
As a result, 20 student works of art were made, with four students declared as winners at the CCAP exhibit opening in Baha Mar’s ECCHO: Art Gallery in August. To recreate the culturally stimulating magic felt at the exhibit’s premiere, the CCAP was featured at the FUZE Art Tent during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival.
Nine incredible pieces of art lined the walls of the Coca-Cola Art Project, four of which included the winning pieces from Jhanaisia Cole,
with ‘Gaulin Bride’; Alyssa Pinder, with ‘Shotgun Wedding’; Nelson Gray, with ‘Untitled’; and Jaela Bowe, with the piece ‘Whims of Obeah, a Folktail’. Additionally, an intimate listening room was built. It displayed students’ artistic processes, UB Visual Art and Design representatives, and a recap of the exhibit opening for audiences.
Art enthusiasts also enjoyed premium limited-edition CCAP keepsakes at the booth. Journals which featured a collage of all 20 student submissions on the front and back cover, postcards with an art piece on the cover along with the student’s name, title, dimension and materials on the back and pens designed with the CCAP’s dynamic logo.
Throughout the art festival diverse groups of people visited the art tent taking in the displays while enjoying the artistic insights from the
listening booth.
Community and culture are always at the forefront of Caribbean Bottling Community, and it was boldly showcased during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival for the third consecutive year.
For more details on the Coca-Cola Art Project, events and new products visit www.cbcbahamas.com today!
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor delighted Jollification
attendees with bubbles from their Bottega and Bouvet Ladubay sparkling wines and Besserat de Bellefon champagne lines.
Located in the Monument Circle on The Retreat grounds, CWS transformed The Retreat Garden into a lush lounge with Besserat, Bouvet and their latest product addition, Bottega, during the two-day affair.
The festivities kicked off Friday during BNT Member’s Night. Guests enjoyed exclusive offerings from CWS’s catalogue, offered exclusively to members. Complimentary mixes or glasses on the rocks included El Tequileno tequila, Hard Truth whiskey, House of Angostura rum, Cross Keys gin, Nemiroff vodka and a slew of wines such as Fonesca Bin, Bottega and Besserat.
Guests also savored the ‘Jolly Paloma’ cocktail, an instant favorite made with El Tequileno tequila, Schweppes Grapefruit and Domaine de Paris rose wine. To end the night, guests were treated to branded limited-edition wine tumblers as keepsakes.
On Saturday and Sunday, Jollification attendees delighted in glasses or bottles of champagne and sparkling brut or rosé wines while taking
in the comfort of the chic lounge. In addition to purchasing bottles for onsite consumption, consumers were also able to purchase bottles as gifts whether for themselves or someone special.
The sophisticated “bubble lounge” lounge was decked with velvet couches, gold rimmed cocktail tables, blue and pink pillows, and a white floral branded backdrop created for capturing the perfect picture.
Caribbean Wines & Spirits, a historic partner of the Bahamas National Trust was pleased to support Jollification 2025 to kick off the festive season and share their expansive range of spirits.
To keep up to date with all CWS products and events, visit their website at www.cwsbahamas.com today.
