The organizing group of ‘Save Our Youth’ with CIFA President Jeffrey Webb (black, 2nd left).

Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore returns to the Cayman Islands on 25 October to participate in the ‘Save Our Youth’ (SOY) annual football extravaganza, which will be held at the newly renovated Annex Football field in George Town.

Whitmore, a former member of the Reggae Boyz, scored the first two goals for Jamaica when that country made history as the first-ever English-speaking Caribbean country to make it onto the World Cup stage in 1998. He was here in June participating in the fundraising event put on by Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) to raise money for building the Centre of Excellence.

Other specially invited guests to the SOY event will include Minister of Youth and Sports Hon. Alden McLaughlin, Oliver Samuels from Jamaica, two representatives from the United States Army; the current Miss Cayman Islands Rebecca Parchment, retired former national football stars Lee Ramoon and Reynard Moxam and FIFA regional officials.

This annual event, in its third year and themed “Positive Choices”, was made possible by SOY in collaboration with the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA). Sponsors are being lined up at this time.

SOY member Richard Barton announced the plans at a meeting held recently with Jeffrey Webb at CIFA’s office to mark the start of the campaign for sponsorship to assist in positively transforming the generation.

CIFA President Jeffrey Webb said that it was a pleasure for the association to work with SOY to create an atmosphere suitable for helping Cayman’s young people make positive choices.

“It is an honour for CIFA to play an integral part in this effort being made by the members of SOY who have the vision of helping these young people to make positive choices in their lives,” said Webb.

“We at CIFA are prepared to support this effort beyond all limitations and are more than willing to help to mould Cayman’s future generation into a stable and meaningful society.”

SOY, which started in 2005, is desperately in need of sponsorships and is appealing to the cooperate community to assist with this national venture.

SOY’s ultimate goal for this event is to educate and raise awareness among the youth about the dangers of drugs, gang-related activities, prison, violence, peer pressure, the importance of making positive choices and also to encourage individuals to choose a healthy lifestyle.

Participating schools in this upcoming event include Cayman Prep, Triple C, First Baptist, New Horizon, Leading Edge, John Grey, Heritage and Pace. The event is open to boys and girls in various age groups.

Several football games will be played, which will be used as a medium to interact with youth in order to spread the message across to everyone in attendance.