The Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development Center (GARD Center) wishes to sincerely thank all of our Sponsors, Chefs, Producers, Patrons, Extension Officers, Partners and Volunteers for assisting in making our Benefit Luncheon a success.
The James & Maginley Charity and Care Foundation, was once again our Premier Sponsor, and we are truly grateful for their continued commitment to the work at the Center.  Our Farm-to-Table benefit luncheon is currently in its 4th year and continues to grow.  Of these, three years, the James & Maginley Charity and Care Foundation, has been the major sponsor.
Our chefs, who this year were organised and managed by Mr. Mario Colindres, General Manager of Goddard Catering Group, and his team, we are ever thankful for their assistance.
Many thanks to the management of these fine establishments: Jumby Bay Resort, Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa, Curtain Bluff Hotel, Carlisle Bay Resort, Trade Winds Hotel, Flavas Restaurant and Goddard Catering Group (Antigua) Ltd, for all of their support.  We look forward to our continued partnerships in the years to come.

It is my sincere pleasure to be here today at this launch of the Tech Support Centre “SPARKS.”  The GARD Center in its 28^th year as a development  NGO under the auspices of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas.  A partnership was forged with the European Commission last year through their Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Programme: Enhancing CSOs’ contribution to governance and development processes in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
The GARD Center partnered in a project entitled “Improving opportunities for at-risk, probationary and Incarcerated Youth in Antigua and Barbuda and was given an opportunity in a component of this project to provide support for another NGO as a third party. Fate had it that the GARD Center discovered this newly formed NGO Second Chance which fit the criteria perfectly.
We chose Second Chance because of their serious commitment to Positive Youth Development and Justice, its core of professional volunteers and its willingness to work with other agencies on the challenges of youth offenders. Second Chance’s mission and objectives were very much aligned with the GARD Center’s and there were areas we could complement each other, as well as, to share expertise.
We were pleased to provide $EC17, 370 to purchase furniture and computer equipment to build the capacity of this unit.  We pray for all of God’s richest blessings on this facility and to offer the GARD Center’s continued support where possible.