Early Valentine's Day for St Andrew Old Girls

Marcia Rowe, Gleaner Writer

It was an evening of dinner, dancing, love stories and palatable entertainment driven by an act of love - the love for an alma mater.

The occasion was the annual valentine fund-raiser, organised by the St Andrew Old Girls Association (SOGA).

Appropriately titled Vision of Love, (in sync with the St Andrew High School for Girls (SAHS) 85th anniversary theme - Living the Vision, Changing the World) as highlighted by Sharon Reid, principal of SAHS, the association's involvement and continued contribution to the school is indeed an act of love.

In giving the greetings, Reid thanked the 79-year-old association for its assistance and informed the attendees at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel of the school's achievements over the past year.

Laura Levy, president of SOGA, in her welcome, told the gathering, which included graduates of the class of 1943, that the valentine event is the association's centre piece and that this year the format was modified to allow for the inclusion of friends of the association.

After dinner, a cabaret performance by Andrew Lawrence was well received, and began what was a progression of scintillating acts.

His first song was, Baby If I Could Change The World and his last was Dennis Brown's How Could I Leave You. Lawrence also provided the entertainment for the evening.

Wayne Whyte, a Jamaica College old boy, continued with an engaging vox pop and giveaway segment that produced much laughter. It was in this segment the first of two love stories was revealed.

In attendance was Douglas Orane, CEO of GraceKennedy Limited. He is married to a SAHS old girl.

With encouragement from the diners, Orane told the story of how they met. In essence, a shy Orane saw a beautiful Michelle leaning on a wall at the airport and fell in love. Michelle Orane demonstrated the pose, after some prodding from Whyte.

The other love story came in the form of one of Jamaica's celebrity couples, Tami Chynn and Wayne Marshall, the featured performers for the Vision of Love.

And like a tasty, modest-sized chocolate bar fit for the Saturday before Valentine's Day, they told their love story in songs interspersed with speech.

Their entrance to the stage began the refreshing performance. Through the audience, Tami entered first, and during her opening speech Marshall arrived, and thus commenced the conversation that, at times, may have been a little risqué for the elderly ladies.

The musical dialogue included parts of songs from Baby Help Me (a song written for Marshall), It's All Because Of You, Calling My Name, One Dance Can Do and She Wants Good Love. Together they sang their favourite song, Turn Your Lights Down Low.

But the most entertaining moment came when Chynn became very animated in response to Beyonce's All Single Ladies.

Their performance ended with both singing I'm Getting Married In The Morning, but not before Marshall, with confirmation from Chynn, put their story in perspective - they were first great friends; the friendship grew into love and love grew into marriage.

"And now, there is a baby in the carriage," quipped Chynn, while demonstrating the movements of a baby swaying in a bassinet.

SOGA's Vision of Love was further highlighted with the launch of the Saint Awards at the function. The Saint Awards is intended to reinforce the mission and vision of SAHS. 'The Saint' will be given each year to two outstanding alumni of SAHS. Nominations will open in June and close in September.

The winners will be announced in December 2011 and conferred at the 2012 Valentine event.