Thanks to St Joe’s

Team Cook Islands paid a special visit yesterday to their biggest supporters – St Joseph’s Primary School.

A day out from the first Team Cook Islands competition at the Commonwealth Games in India, the chef de mission called a meeting and shared out personalised ‘good luck’ cards received from grade two students at the Catholic school organised by their teacher Tupa Tupa.

The cards came at a time when athletes were going through their last minute preparations and everyone was touched and moved by the gesture – some more so than others.

Tears of pride were shed during the special Team Cook Islands meeting. It was suggested by former St Joseph’s student and national netballer Noeline Davida and national tennis player Brittany Teei, who was truly moved by the cards, that everyone should prepare a special thank you card for the each of the students.

Chef de mission George George collected up books of India and a DVD of the famed Taj Mahal to gift to the school along with ‘thank you’ cards from each member of Team Cook Islands who received a card.

He told the pupils at St Joseph’s that he was so proud of and touched by their gesture that he cried with joy.

“I hope all of you become great athletes one day,” George told the students.

“I’m so happy that you are all proud Cook Islanders.”

School principal Sister Celine told the school and members of Team Cook Islands that she received plenty of phone calls from her relatives in India.

“I got phone calls from my family in India telling me they were always seeing Team Cook Islands in their ei and flowers,” says Sister Celine.

Grade two students put on a wonderful dance for Team Cook Islands before the school hosted them to a mini kaikai.

Team Cook Islands would like to extend a big meitaki maata to Sister Celine and all the students of St Joseph’s, especially grade two, for thinking of them while they were in India.