"No one and nothing goes unchanged," crooned jazz vocalist Myrna Hague-Bradshaw. The local vocalist accented the afternoon's proceedings with a timeless classical piece. The audience sat transfixed by her rendition of Nina Simone's Everything Must Change on Wednesday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel. The performance stood as Hague-Bradshaw's thank you, after receiving one of five awards given to extraordinary women by the Kiwanis Club of New Kingston.
For their annual awards luncheon, dubbed this year as 'Celebrating Excellence', the service club chose to honour five female professionals and present the 'Because you Care' award to the Digicel Foundation for its contribution to charity.
The club, which has been awarding women since 1993, presented the awards this year to women from a myriad of professions in a midday function.
The audience was told stories of humble beginnings, challenges and determination.
Dr Patricia Yap, a dermatologist and businesswoman, was honoured for contribution to dermatology and her work heading the Apex Medical Centre.
Professor of Social History Verene Shepherd was acknowledged for her contribution and her continual quest for truth through history.
Barbara Gloudon was celebrated for her contribution not only as a journalist, playwright and cultural activist, but according to the citation read in her honour, "all that and more or, as the poem says, 'a whole heap a people'."
unceasing dedication
Legal mind Jaqueline Samuels-Brown, Queen's Counsel, was acknowledged for her unceasing dedication to her profession and, most of all, her clients.
The Digicel Foundation was acknowledged for its contribution to the development of Jamaican communities, starting with an initial contribution of $60 million upon its inception in 2004. An additional $200 million was contributed after Hurricane Ivan to help Jamaica and Jamaicans get back on their feet. The organisation has help to execute 53 projects since its inception.
The Kiwanis Club of New Kingston, the first and the largest all-female club in Jamaica, will use the proceeds to helped to construct classrooms and perform the general renovation of Galilee Childhood Development and Pre-School Centre.
Gloudon rounded off the afternoon with a witty thank you, dub-poetry style, where she assured the audience that "Myrna Hague can sing, but Barbara Gloudon cannot."
Sponsors included J. Wray and Nephew, That Blooming Florist and Jencare Skin Farm.
Guests included: Leader of the Opposition Portia Simpson Miller,Sharon Williams, president-designate of the The Kiwanis Club of New Kingston, Nadia Mitchell, Lisa Hogart, Karen Silvera, chairman for the club's fund-raising committee, Professor E. Nigel Harris and Professor Trevor Munroe.
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