Only winners at Victory Games 2012

Of my 32 days of pre-retirement leave it was the most fun I had when I served as a judge at the fifth edition of the annual Victory Games, held last Sunday at the Police Barracks Grounds in St James. Staged by The Friends of Victory Foundation, the day featured good, clean fun with  young people vying in novelty events, including best tent and best presentation contests. Each team was also representing a charitable cause. The programme also included a Chow competition in which competitors were given 45 minutes to leave the venue to purchase fruit, return, and make a chow on site, using chadon beni, lime, salt and pepper. An Air Guitar face off and Twist contest were also held. 

 

 

The day’s theme was RockStar and the 12 teams, their foundations and the acts they represented were, LPTS (Earth Strong) —Korn; TRIBE (Just Because Foundation)—Tuff Gongs; Islandpeople (Angels on Earth)— Wu Tang Klan; Hott Foot (Animals Alive)—Guns n Roses;  YUMA (Cyril Ross Nursery)— Run DMC; SCORCH (Girl Guides Association)—Kiss; National Training Agency (Cerebral Palsy Society of T&T) — Beenie Man; I Palance (Families in Action) — Asylums; Slam Radio (Tall Man Foundation)—Gagas; Soroptomists Int’l Newton (Soroptomists Int’l Newton) —HD; Woodford (Mary Care Centre)—The Jacksons; and, BP Conquerors (Autistic Society)— Cash Money Kelly Millionaires.

 

 

Emcee for the day was popular radio personality/soca artiste Devon Matthews and DJ Joy Juice provided music. The judges panel included Sports Minister Anil Roberts; former national footballer Brent Sancho; television news anchor Samantha John; chutney soca artiste Soca Elvis; and, new T&T Guardian A&E Editor Peter Ray Blood. With Siobhan Thompson (Fever International) and Brendon Brathwaite (Buzz Concepts) being the Victory Games 2012 event and games coordinators, respectively, The Friends of Victory Foundation Committee includes Christopher Brathwaite, Casey Cumberbatch, Jason Baptiste, and Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing.

 

 

Over the last five years, the Foundation has raised more than $125,000 for various charities. It was founded by Triniscene managing director Casey Cumberbatch who wanted to create a charitable foundation to support needy charities, and also build a data base of young people who were interested in volunteering their time for charitable causes. The Foundation’s main annual charity event is the Victory Games  where teams from the entertainment, corporate and other establishments are invited to challenge one another in various fun and novelty events. Last year, the winning team, Rave won the grand prize of $25,000 to the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society.  Previous winners include TRIBE and Islandpeople.