NEW YORK – Team Jamaica Bickle CEO Irwine Clare and his family will be recipients of the third annual ‘Caribbean American Family of the Year Appreciation Award’ presented by Grace Tropical Rhythms for being exemplary role models and in acknowledgment of their long-standing commitment to the greater Caribbean American community in the tri-state area.
The award will be presented at the 11th annual Merritone Outdoor Picnic and Family Fun Day, which will be held on Sunday, July 13, 2008 at Lake Quassy, Route 64, Middlebury, Connecticut event organizer Conroy Allison announced.
Clare’s Team Jamaica Bickle, has for the past several years worked with community organizations and businesses to host athletes from the Caribbean participating at the Penn Relays. In addition, Irwine serves as a consultant to several Jamaican based companies, and is a member of several local and national organizations.
Irwine Clare
He is the co-founder and managing director of the Queens, New York-based Caribbean Immigrant Services, Inc. (CIS), an organization founded in 1995 with the ultimate goal of mobilizing and empowering Caribbean Diaspora in the United States.
Irwine devotes much of his time speaking at numerous forums about the importance of being involved and empowered. Traveling extensively, he has been invited to speak on college campuses, at churches and before civic and community organizations throughout the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States as well as other areas throughout the country. In addition, his advocacy extends beyond the United States and into the Caribbean through a series of forums entitled, “US Immigration, Impact on the Caribbean.” A major goal of these island-held forums is to inform and sensitize Caribbean nationals and governments about the U.S. immigration laws and their impact upon the region and its nationals.
His consistent advocacy on behalf of the Caribbean community has caused him to be a well sort after speaker. He is a frequent guest on several radio stations in the United States and the Caribbean. He isthe recipient of numerous awards and citations including awards from Congressman Gregory Meeks, the Consul General of Jamaica, Union Jamaica Alumni Associations, Council Member Yvette Clarke, Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association and Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery. He was recently honored as an “Outstanding Alumnus” by Brown’s Town Community College, annual conference of the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica.
Irwine is a director of Caribbean World News Network and is the host of Caribbean Lifestyle TV which is aired in New York on CIN Channel 73. His civic service includes membership in the Association of Caribbean Elected Officials & Community Leaders, the NAACP and several immigration policy groups. He is a graduate of Adelphi University, NY and York Castle High School in St Ann. Prior to CIS, Irwine worked with Bank Leumi Trust Company as Vice President of Operations.
Clare has been married for the past 22 years to Karen McNeil and has two children – Irwine, Jr. and Kayla Marie. He resides in Queens, New York.
Jamaican born radio personality Jeff Barnes and family were the recipients of the first annual ‘Caribbean American Family of the Year Appreciation Award” while Vincent HoSang and his family were honored in 2007.
Last year Merritone fever gripped Lake Quassy, Middlebury, Connecticut as thousands of Caribbean Americans partied at the annual Family Picnic. The kids enjoyed the 25 different rides which the amusement park offers while adults feasted on everything from jerked chicken, corn on the cob, sugar cane, water coconuts and beer, which flowed throughout the day.
