ReachExtra
On the fourth Thursday of November every year, US citizens commemorate the arrival of the first English colonists in North America with a family dinner which traditionally consists of roast turkey with cranberry sauce, roasted sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie.
This year’s American Chamber of Commerce (“AmCham”) Thanksgiving Charity Gala was held at the 5 star Sunborn Yacht Hotel which is docked permanently at Ocean Village, Gibraltar – this year the charitable purpose was St. John Ambulance – a life-saving, primarily volunteer-run organisation that teaches and provides first aid and emergency medicine.
Once again this year, Gibraltarians joined US residents on the Rock and visitors in celebrating this most important day in the US national calendar.
There were several lively auctions for prizes which included passes to many of the principal US institutions as well as other prizes which attracted large bids, whose proceeds will now go towards the excellent work that the St. John Ambulance carry out in Gibraltar. As always, a great night was had by all who attended.
US involvement in Gibraltar is one of very long standing and dates at least from the First Barbary War 1801-1805.
The US navy was active in the Straits of Gibraltar during the First World War following which the famous American War Memorial was erected at Line Wall Road.
In 1942, Winston Churchill placed the famous American general Eisenhower in command of Gibraltar in preparation for “Operation Torch” which saw the beginning of the allied invasion of North Africa.
Nowadays, American links to Gibraltar continue to have a naval element, but have extended to the areas of business, finance and commerce. Not for nothing is the North-face of the Rock of Gibraltar the logo for “Prudential Insurance”, one of the major US insurers.
Every year dozens of Gibraltarian young people travel to the US to intern in the Washington Centre Scheme, which places them in political, business and governmental organisations, as well as providing once in a lifetime opportunities to brush shoulders with members of congress and other high profile figures, bringing back to Gibraltar that special flare with which Americans conduct their affairs.
