Kamal Dyal of 2nd Tacarigua Guide Unit attached to the St. Mary’s Children’s Home represented our Association at a Training Camp in U.S.A in 1971

Kamal said "My trip to the U.S.A has been the most entertaining and educational event in my life.  It was one full of adventure, joy, loving and a sharing of different cultures and crafts.  However, the part I enjoyed most was meeting the people of so many different countries, all with one common interest Guiding.  Being a part of several American families was most valuable opportunity and one that I enjoyed immensely.

Sight seeing tours comprised a measurable part of my daily activities where we went. A visit to the world famous monuments - the Statue of Liberty, the Verazano Bridge, the Empire State United Nations Building, Rockefeller Plaza, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Girl Scout Headquarters, proved to be very exciting.

In Washington D.C., the city I loved most, I was fascinated by the architecture of the State Capital and the White House. The Jefferson, Lincoln and Washington Memorial were of great interest as well.

Places of historical interest including museums and villages were quite interesting.  In particular, the National History Museum of Washington, the University of Archaeology in Chicago, Greenfield Village and Mackinac Island of Michigan, and Lincoln’s New Salem of Illinois, held my interest.

Niagara Falls had always been to me a dream which I hoped to fulfill.  I was now able to appreciate deeply the rare beauty and magnificence of such a place which I hope to visit again some day.

Camping life was for the first time what I had expected it to be from reading.  At last I was able to use the birch bark and spruce recommended for no smoke fires.  Especially being in the midst of woodlands, camping turned out to be the most enjoyable part of my trip.

The highlight of my trip was the conference on Public Relations  P’s and Q’s.  Lectures on communication were very informative.  Workshops in Graphic Arts, Public Speaking and Photography explored mainly aspects of these fields which I had never thought of before.  Visits to large companies did much to help me understand these topics more fully.

Besides having three ninety-minute sessions each day there was sufficient free time for swimming, volleyball and tennis which I enjoyed in free hours.  Living in a cabin with ten girls all from different states and at first strangers to each other was a most thrilling experience. One would think, after ten days, when the camp was broken that we had known each other for years.

I must end by saying this is an experience which I shall treasure all my life and that each guide should endeavour to participate in such an event whenever the occasion arrives.  I can assure you that I have no regrets except that of having the awful thought of not being able to see my very close friends for such along time.  This trip was really a great lesson to me in human relations and made me realize that people all over the world are the same, their differences being a result of geographical conditions, society and the environment around them."

Mrs. Shirley Bobb-Phillips  attended the Scarborough Methodist School from age ten.  It was there that she had the privilege to become a member of the 3rd Scarborough Guides with Ms Olga Lyons.  When Ms Lyons migrated to Trinidad in the 1960’s, she continued to meet the girls every week under a bean tree.

In 1963, was appointed at Franklyn Methodist and started a company there under the supervision of Division Commissioner, Mrs. Eileen Guillaume until she left for Teachers’ Training College in 1974.

In 1976, on her return from College, she was appointed at Mt St. George Methodist and started a company there.  While there, she was appointed District Commissioner by Division Commissioner Mrs. Jean Daniel.  (Guider/District Commissioner) 1976 – 1978.

At Scarborough Methodist School, she revived the guides and motivated younger teachers to start a Brownie Pack (Guider of 3rd Scarborough Guides 1979 – 1986).

Mrs. Bobb-Phillips held the position of Guider of 1st Patrick’s Anglican 1990 – 1991 and Division Commissioner, Tobago 1986 – 1992 and has this to say:

"Guiding has moulded my life. It is because of Guiding that I was chosen as a teacher without an interview.

Guiding is responsible for the person I am today.  My methods in the classroom, as when I was a young inexperienced mother all stemmed from the Patrol System in Guiding.

In a recently concluded Conference of the South Caribbean District and Americas, in St Vincent and the Grenadines, I strongly recommended to the General Education Committee that GUIDING be an integral part of all our schools."