Wednesday 2 March 2011

A message sent from the Trinidad and Tobago Cultural Society of British Columbia

Community Member,

It is with numb sorrow that I forward the tragic news that Colin Jack has passed away this past weekend.

Regrettably, I have only just heard this news via the channel below and I do not have details regarding the nature of his passing, nor do I have news of any arrangements that the family may be considering. However, this is a terrible event considering Colin's youth, and there can be no doubt that the family is in shock.

Colin is known to many in the local Caribbean community as one of the children of Mosely Jack, a Trinidad pioneer who was a longtime member of the TTCS of BC and supporter of Caribbean Days Festival in the 1990s and beyond. Colin himself came to be a regular volunteer at the Festival in the 2000s, working long shifts in the beer garden many years.

Colin was a personal friend of mine. Although I have not been asked to do so, I hope the family will pardon me for sharing a few more words with you about this young man, who accomplished so much in such a short time.

Aside from being a second-generation Caribbean Canadian, a connection I have shared with Colin for years has been our mutual interest in the craft beer industry. After graduating from the University of BC, Colin's enthusiasm and drive in this regard resulted in the building of a business called Just Here For The Beer which has pursued goals such as consumer education regarding food pairings with the more sophisticated examples of this oft-underestimated beverage category. Colin and his close friends established an annual festival known as the Canada Cup Of Beer which became the largest annual event of its type in Vancouver. Colin's expertise in this area was so well respected that he became widely known and quoted as a beer industry expert that the media called on regularly, and ultimately hosted a monthly radio talk show focusing on this topic.

I have a clear memory of seeing Colin with his friends at a major Victoria festival in 2005, as pictured in the attached photo, surveying the grounds and planning their own fledgling festival. I will always be in awe of the ambition and ability to make dreams happen that Colin possessed.

No doubt a much more complete remembrance will be written of Colin. From my perspective, this is a very untimely loss indeed.

Regretfully,
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Trinidad and Tobago Cultural Society of British Columbia
David Smith, President 604 591 3283 Direct
dave@ttcsbc.org 604 515 2400 Hotline
www.ttcsbc.org 604 591 1383 Facsimile


Andra. xox.

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