Coming on the heels of their successful sponsorship of the 2011 Carifita Games in Jamaica, LIME, the Caribbean’s largest telecommunications company expanded their support of Caribbean athletics through its sponsorship of Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB), a New York based non-profit organization which has for the last 17 years cared for Caribbean athletes competing for county and school at the annual Penn Relay Carnival in Philadelphia.
LIME provided spring jackets and pouches for many of the athletes from the region; outfitted TJB staff volunteers, in addition to providing cash donations to TJB that helped offset accommodation and ground transportation cost for the athletes, officials, and coaching staff from Jamaica, St Vincent & the Grenadines and Barbados.
“LIME is delighted to be once again involved in the development of young people through sporting activities like athletics. We were pleased to partner with TJB at Penn Relays and wish to commend this organization for the outstanding work it is doing in ensuring that our athletes can compete to their full potential” said Colin Benjamin, LIME’s Head of International & Visitor Sales.
In endorsing the sponsorship, Irwine Clare, founder and President of TJB thanked LIME for their commitment to sports development.
“Team Jamaica Bickle welcomes LIME this year as a sponsor, a move which we consider immensely valuable. LIME has consistently demonstrated in tangible ways its support for sports development which is perfectly aligned with Team Jamaica Bickle’s mission. LIME represents a fresh new approach to telecommunications, which inspires result-driven actions and is convergent with Team Jamaica Bickle’s embrace of new ideas. On behalf of ‘Our Athletes, Our Ambassadors’ we look forward to a sustained and mutually beneficial relationship” he said.
With over 100,000 track and field enthusiasts attending the Penn Relay Carnival over three days, it is a marketing paradise for Caribbean companies like LIME, which for the first time, had a major presence in the Penn Carnival Village. Patrons and athletes had the opportunity to learn about LIME’s products and services and top up their accounts. Some won prizes participating in fun activities about the Caribbean. LIME also used the 2011 Penn Relay Carnival to launch their newly created “LIME North East USA Facebook” page where hundreds of photographs taken during the relay Carnival were uploaded. The social page will be utilized during the summer at sponsored events – including “Midnight at Puss Creek,” the eagerly anticipated comedy-play starring Oliver Samuels that will be staged in the tri-state area; the St Lucia Carnival 2011 NYC Launch and the “Taste Of The Caribbean” in Hartford, Connecticut – to connect the brand with millions of Caribbean nationals living in the Diaspora.
On the track, a number of Jamaican athletes delivered outstanding performances, including Edwin Allen’s Ristananna Tracey and Calabar’s Traves Smikle who were both honored by event organizers. Tracey, who set a new meet record in the 400m hurdles and anchored the winning 4×800 team with a 2:03.17 split, equaling the fastest ever at Penn, was named High School Girls athlete of the meet, while Calabar’s Traves Smikle, who broke the record in the discus of 69.55m, was named High School Boys Athlete of the Meet for Individual Events. LIME Jamaica sponsored athlete Asafa Powell and teammates Michael Frater, Nesta Carter and Steve Mullings powered the Jamaica 4×100 meters men’s team to victory in 38.33 sec. After his stellar performance, Powell signed autographs and took pictures with fans.
Among the special invited guests attending the event were Minister of Sport Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, Her Excellency Audrey P Marks, Ambassador of Jamaica to the United States of America; La Celia A. Prince, Ambassador of St. Vincent & The Grenadines to the US; Geneive Brown Metzger, Consul General of Jamaica; Hon Cecil Mc Kie, Minister of Health & Wellness, St. Vincent & the Grenadines among other dignitaries.
