| Subject: T&T Express (Oct 18th 2008) |
Author:
Trini77
| [ Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: Saturday, October 18, 06:18:01am
Author Host/IP: cpe-66-65-16-174.nyc.res.rr.com/66.65.16.174
Gabrielle raises $600,000 for paediatric specialty ward
Gabrielle Walcott was born in Trinidad and Tobago on June 26th, 1984 (age 24). Hailing from Petit Valley, she is the eldest of three siblings, who are Heidi, Joshua and Sophie Walcott.
The 1.70 m beauty also pursued acting and theater arts at HB Studios in New York, USA.
An experienced Equestrian Show Jumper, Gabrielle also took up hobbies such as, dance, yoga, pilates, photography, hockey, art, and has always had a passion for acting and theater.
She is a long-time member and support of the Trinidad and Tobago Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (the TTSPCA), and claims to have rescued 10 stray dogs and cats.
Gabrielle is preparing hard to achieve the second victory if Trinidad and Tobago at the 2008 Miss World contest. The country won the title in 1986, with Giselle LaRonde.
Describe yourself in one or two sentences:
I'm an island girl,warm, friendly and loving. I love to laugh, dance and meet new people.
Which three songs must be in your iPod?
-Andrea Bocelli's, "Because We Believe"
-Bob Marley's "Don't worry about
a thing"
-Bob Sinclar's "World Hold On"
Tell us about your "Beauty with
a Purpose" Project.
This has been a life changing experience for me. I've raised TT$600 000 (Trinidad and Tobago dollars/ US$100,000) for the first ever Paediatric Specialty Ward in the English Speaking Caribbean.
Because of Miss World's Beauty with a Purpose project, I searched for a very meaningful project and discovered a brand new non-profit organisation in my neighborhood called the Just Because Foundation.
I met the founders, two wonderful and inspiring parents who recently lost their son to a rare form of cancer. The JB Foundation in a very short space of time has done tremendous work to assist families with an ill one.
In my interactions, I learned that there were no dedicated wards for children with cancer in my country, and that presently, all children pediatric patients lived together in crowded rooms. Further more, the families and siblings of these young brave cancer patients were not able to visit regularly due to restrictions.
Working closely with them I was able to learn of an abandoned ward at one of our largest and most important hospitals and then convince the authorities who did not have budgets for such a specialised ward that I would raise the needed funds once permission was granted (this is a very abbreviated version of what transpired, in Trinidad we say 'it's all part of the course'..
Basic renovations have begun to the ward and we are awaiting final designs to implement and complete the project. I have never felt such a sense of purpose, and this has afforded me the 'true' understanding of Beauty with a Purpose.
I feel honoured to be a small part of an organisation and process whose objective is such.
What has been your most
memorable rainy day?
I can't help but think about this one particular rainy day when my family went hiking to a spectacular waterfall in our sister island of Tobago. On the way up, my Dad lost a part of his camera (photography is his favorite hobby) and was so disappointed.
After a wonderful day, on our hike back, he asked everyone to look out for the part (about the size of an M&M). This was literally looking for a needle in a haystack.
Being a Daddy's girl and wanting to please him as he was a little down, I prayed to St Anthony for help. I will never forget the look on my Dad's face when I came running with the camera part in my hand! He was so proud of me and much to my delight still tells that story to this day.
If you were invited to participate in the next NY Fashion Week, which fashion designer you would like to dress you?
Roberto Cavalli.His style is feminine, sexy and so luxurious!
Tell us about the nightlife in
your hometown.
In Trinidad we 'lime' it's a very popular word here used for getting together and hanging out with friends. We are a fun-loving people and so we like to lime anytime, anywhere.
There are lots of lounges, nightclubs, even street parties. I personally love night time beach outings or being 'down the islands' (there are these gorgeous little islands off of Trinidad which we refer to as 'down the islands')
I love being near the water and sand, being under the stars with a crackling bon fire, liming with close friends and family.
What has been your weirdest dream? Describe it.
I don't dream much, but recently had my wisdom teeth removed. I was really anxious because I've never had any surgery before, and this was to be performed while under anaesthetics.
The night before the surgery I dreamt that the surgery was going on, that the anaesthetics were being administered, that I got up out of my body and looked on at myself lying there and held my arm in an act of assurance and said "okay then, I'll be back, see you soon" and off I went.
Then, I heard people looking for me and yelling "She has to come back, where is she? "so I went back to the dentist's office and saw my family standing over me crying and said "wow, I better get back quickly"! I lay back down into my body and then I woke up and all was good. Very Weird!
Thankfully the surgery went well, though I looked like a chipmunk for about a week.
Where will the Miss World judges score you highest: interview, swimsuit or gown presentation?
I hope to score well in all categories. A little bias of course, but my Mom believes that the judges will score me highest in the interview, once of course my warmth shines.
What message you would like to send to the other Miss World contestants?
I can't wait to meet you all...to learn of our similarities and differences. I wish for us to be an amazing bunch of women, representing our countries to the best of our abilities, following our dreams! See you soon in South Africa!
Special thanks to Peter Elias.
Photography by Gerald Hart.
Note: The photo is not from the article-I posted another one of Gerald's photos since those in the article have already been posted on this forum.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
] |
|
Feedback: 