Mpanyinfo, I am asking this simple question to get an idea about the number of people from North America who are planning to go to Ghana for the Golden Jubilee Celebrations in November. RSVP. Long Live OPASS.
It solely depends on who can AFFORD to go. We had hoped that we could complete the sick bay to present it to the school as our token of appreciation for the what SHE has done for use. Unfortunately, our financial resources have come really short and we will not be able to do so. This is damping a lot of OUR spirits and the desire to go and celebrate with them. We cannot go empty handed.
Nana, a see a BIG disconnect between the 'OLD' Alumni (70s & 80s) and the 'NOT so OLD' alumni (90s & 2000). There seem to be a big generational gap there. We need some ideas to bridge this gap and be able to help Opass more effectively, "baano soa emia".
Any reasons why this gap and any ideas/ suggestions to bridge it will be greatly appreciated. We need to have a united front to be able to make a big impact.
I believe the many faces of the Social Media may be the cause. People are migrating to other areas to meet and greet their friends and solidifying their friendship. We need to create a more friendly and open approach to this platform. An OPASSIAN is an OPASSIAN no matter the year group. Until we bridge this gap and embrace all ideas, we are going to have problems reaching and enticing all populations to join this platform.
Let's start to accept all opinions and fashion out ways to grow and enrich it. There are numerous people out there with great ideas and financial means to support this cause, but it seems lots of the ideas are crippled before it reaches the public forum. Lets add a bit of humor to this platform.
Once again, thanks for all you do to support this cause,
Yes, Yaw we need all ideas to make this association grow. I'm not sure about crippling other people's ideas. We have had phone conference meetings which is opened to the general OPASS population but the same people call in at all times. I have tried FB several times publishing times for the meetings with the conference number and pin and the same faces show up.
We need to inject fresh ideas and fresh people to move this association forward or else.......This is my fear. Ben and his friends put so great an effort into bring us together, let's keep us going.
We are building a sick bay for the school. Calls and publication have gone out with pictures and request for donations but zero responds have been received.
Yaw, what ideas do you have? Bring it on board and don't ever think nobody will listen. It will be sad to see this great association die a slow death just because some of us who can help are reluctant to do so.
For sure the enthusiasm with which this venture started has waned considerably. And for me, one of the reasons is the rush with which we started putting geographical locations behind the "Association" - Opassians North America, Opassians UK, Opassians Ghana etc.
I was in Ghana when we started contributing our quota to this Old Students' thing - thanks to sacrifices from great Opassians such as Selina Fenteng, Charles Arthur, Collins Boafo et al. Then came this brilliant idea from others such as Ben & Doris Awuah and most of you in the US, who gave in so much to unite us through this forum.
Suddenly, Opassians US think a sick bay should be top priority of old students' contribution to our alma mater, while UK think it should be a library and Ghana think it should be an assembly hall. With such "divergent priorities", I and my ilk (hiding elsewhere) wouldn't know where to contribute to albeit being keen.
I suggest we go back to the drawing board and rethink one Opassian Old Students' Association. The periodic meetings such as the ones held in North America - which I congratulate you all for patronising - are very social gatherings and could continue. However, fund -raising and ideas on what should be given to the school should be discussed, debated and harmonised for all of us to contribute and donate as one body. Until this is done, we may end up having several uncompleted projects standing and old students' contribution would not be too visible.
This is my humble opinion.
P/S: The uncompletion of any project should not be a deterrent to our attendance to the Jubillee; it could be a good opportunity for a sound recovery.
I believe this is the time to have a common platform and channel all energies to map out a strategy to support the many causes of OPASS. We do have the technology and the wherewithal to chart a common path. There are OPASSIANS all over the world but how do we invite and encourage them to support the aspirations of the common good.
A sample of the population would like to support by donating money, some would like to share ideas and some to donate goods and services. We need to find the people and categorized their support. Any form of support should be taken in good faith and use to rejuvenate our alma mater.
I would like to see the US, UK, Ghana and all other Associations to come together. It is absolutely beautiful to see the tremendous achievements done and the support from all walks of life.
We should also be mindful, that there are numerous OPASSIANS in other places of the globe who would like to be part and parcel of this experience. I am very hopeful that one day we will achieve something beautiful and sing a common song.
Logistically and geographically, it's close to impossible for all three associations to get together as one group. The NA group has telephone conference meetings biweekly and all members are welcome to participate but almost always, the same people show up. To ask somebody in Ghana to participate in a one hour conference call meeting will be too costly.
The fact that we have three groups does not mean we are divided or competing against each other. The sick bay project was birthed by the '79 group in Ghana. We (NA), joined them because it was a facility the school needed and the cost was reasonable. Anybody, individual or group, can help. When it is completed, a plaque with the sponsors' names will be displayed.
Folks, let not geographical lines divide us, let OPASS unite us. Let us think of what she has done for us, put all our resources together and help make her a better place for our future leaders.
That is why we have uncompleted projects standing in the name of the various associations. It's about channeling our resources into one pot at time for a single project (economies of scale). No one is asking inter-continental (or cross-continental) meetings, conference calls etc.
I want to inform every concerned Opassians that we do not have UNCOMPLETED projects. The only project the NA assoc. is helping to put up is the sick bay. That is what the headmaster wanted and that's why we decided to be involved with. This project was started about 2 months ago and we are almost at the roofing stage.
If there are uncompleted projects, it's between Opass and the PTA or the ministry of Education.
I believe many OPASSIANS are willing to support in any shape or form. I am thankful and excited about everyone's contribution. Mr anonymous we are all trying to help and make our school a better place for the current and future student population. We are living in a global interconnected village, location is not the issue, the issue is amassing and motivating the old populace to join regardless of location.
It is heart-warming reading through these correspondences. The divergent opinions and views are all good but we need to start from somewhere. Let us find a way to harmonise, agree to disagree and move on. Attending the function will provide us with better insights and then focus on priority areas to assist our school.
