Central Florida Bajans calendar of events for 2020

The Central Florida Bajans, CFL Bajans, are an active group! Find out about all of our past events. Upcoming events are outlined below in our Google calendar and the full notebook-sized calendar is available for download. The sights and scenes from our recently concluded events are also viewable. Come and join us soon!

Recently concluded events

Central Florida Bajans connect!

The CFL Bajans maintain a full calendar of events encouraging camaraderie.

Core activities are:
1. Monthly meetings every third Saturday of the month at St. Mary of the Angels, 6316 Matchett Road, Orlando, FL 32809 from 6:30pm until you say when! At monthly meetings, we take a few moments to discuss association business, learn more from guest speakers, and then we get to the food and fun! Each month we have at least 30 Bajans in attendance. Come and join us soon! Catch up on the last meeting here!
2. Annual Taste of Barbados event usually in March. This event is also a major fundraiser for us. Plan on joining us!
3. Annual Bus Ride event usually in May. On this day, we pack up our picnic baskets and head out of town for a day of fun at the beach. ticket prices include transportation to and from the beach, and treats along the way. Plan on joining us for the next one! This event is also a fundraiser for us.
4. Annual Picnic usually in September. The afternoon of this day, we come together for festivities in Barnett Park. Food and drinks are provided. Plan on joining us for the next one!
5. Annual Independence Gala event in November. On this day we come together to celebrate the independence of Barbados in fine style. Plan on joining us. Note that this event is a major fundraiser for us.
6. Annual Christmas Party in December. At this monthly meeting, we kick our shoes off and get down to celebrating Christmas in true Bajan style - with food, drink, and the music.
7. Other miscellaneous events that encourage team-building and camaraderie. For example in 2006, we cruised the seas. In 2017 we are repeating this activity curising to Cuba!

Central Florida Bajans connect with the Floridian community

The CFL Bajans participate in philanthropic efforts within Central Florida as a group.

Core volunteer activities are:
1. Second Harvest Food Bank: Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a private, nonprofit organization that collects and distributes donated food to more than 500 nonprofit partner agencies in six Central Florida counties. These Central Florida counties are Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia. The CFL Bajans volunteer as a group to this organization to 'fight hunger and feed hope' in our Floridian community.
2. Give Kids the World: Give Kids The World Village is a 84 acre, non–profit “story-book” resort, located near Central Florida‘s most beloved attractions, where children with life-threatening illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacations. The CFL Bajans along with the Barbados Association of Tampa Bay adopted 2 villas at the Give Kids the World Village. Members of both associations share their time and talents to decorate, landscape and maintain these buildings that our special families call home while on their dream vacation.

Donations:
1. We also donate monetarily to local organizations whose missions we support. Organizations we have donated to include Second Harvest, The Russell Home for Atypical Children, and Compassionate Hands and Hearts Breast Cancer Outreach.

2. The CFL Bajans joined with a number of local organizations in August 2017 to support a Book Bag Drive at the Pine Hills Community Center. Book bags were filled with the basic school supplies, and freely given away to patrons at the Center. We were able to reach nearly 100 children in the community.

Central Florida Bajans Diaspora Connections

The CFL Bajans remain connected to Barbados through various activities.

1. We provide medical assistance to those in need. Some of these activities are:

• Adoption of the Barbados St. Lucy District Hospital, St. Lucy, Barbados.
• The Coalition for the Barbados Association of Central Florida, The Give Kids The World Village, and The Precious Touch Foundation Inc. pooled their resources to present Ward C8 of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, St. Michael, Barbados(the children's ward) with gifts.

2. We also donate monetarily to organizations whose missions we support. Organizations we have donated to include The Red Foundation.

Central Florida Bajans support education

The CFL Bajans recognize the importance of education in our youth.

Core activities are:
1. Scholarship awards: We support young residents of Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake counties of Barbadian heritage who are pursuing their education through the offering of scholarships annually.
2. Back to school drive

Central Florida Bajans sharing our culture

The CFL Bajans facilitate cultural diversity and awareness.

Core activities are:
1. Participate in Orlando's Caribbean American Heritage Month at Orlando City Hall hosted annually by the Caribbean and Floridian Association, Inc. Check it out here!