Eleven Residents of Surrey Awarded for Volunteerism

Eleven residents from the county of Surrey, who have significantly impacted and contributed to the development of their communities and parishes through volunteerism, have been presented with the Governor-General’s Achievement Award for Excellence.

The awardees are: Tishauna Mullings, Appollionia Davidson, and Valrie Morris from the parish of St. Thomas; Ricardo Allen, Ryan Bailey and Gregory Davis from Portland; Leneka Rhoden and Sonia Whyte from St. Andrew; and Oldane Graham, Passionique-Nicole Weller and George Young from Kingston.

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, in his address at the award ceremony held on September 23 at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston, said the awardees have been contributing to youth development, education and the well-being of families.

“The achievements of the recipients are worth remembering and mentioning constantly,” he said.

He said that his office is encouraged by this year’s award recipients throughout the three counties of the island, noting that they have touched many lives through their acts of selfless giving.

“Our awardees share a sense of voluntarism, community involvement and educational achievement and attainment. They are part of what we consider to be right with Jamaica and are part of the fundamental pillars on which we are building a brighter tomorrow,” he said.

The Governor-General encouraged the awardees to continue playing their role in the development of the country through volunteerism.

“Volunteering encourages good citizenship and provides people with an environment where they can learn the responsibilities of community…we are cognisant of the stark realities and social malaise, which we encounter daily in our society but our recipients stand as the beacon of hope using their God-given potential to make a positive difference,” he said.

He also implored Jamaicans to practise voluntarism throughout their lives and become messengers of goodwill in order “to help us fix what is wrong with Jamaica by using what is right with Jamaica.”

Oldane Graham, who responded on behalf of the awardees, said the recognition will serve as a motivation for them to continue to serve.

The function, under the theme: ‘Values through Volunteerism: Impacting Communities, One Community at a Time,’ was the final G-G award ceremony this year, to recognise outstanding volunteers in each county.

The mission of the G-G award scheme is to recognise and promote excellence and empower Jamaicans to believe in themselves and achieve their potential, while contributing to nation building.