Deadline Extended for Community Service Award Nominations

The National Child Month Committee (NCMC) has extended the deadline to submit nominations for the 2007 Community Service Awards for Youth and Children to September 14.
Speaking to JIS News, Marva Ximinnies, Head of the NCMC’s Community Service Award Planning Committee said that the extension would allow more time for persons to submit nominations, as up to the second deadline of July 6, only a few nominations had trickled in.
“Children will be back in school by the second week in September, so we are hoping that the nominations will pick up by that time,” she said. Miss Ximinnies said that in the meantime, the planning committee has been following up with telephone calls to agencies, organisations, community groups and schools which have received nomination forms. This is being done on a ‘one-to-one’ basis and this has reaped some success, as so far this week four nominations have been submitted.
In terms of the nominations received, she said that some have come from Portland, Hanover, St. Mary, St. Ann, St. Catherine, Kingston and St. Andrew. “This is good, as most of the parishes will be represented,” she said.
Ideally, the Committee endeavours to give two awards per parish in the age category of 7 to 13 years and 14 to 18 years. However, this could depend on the number of nominations received. “It all depends, because we might have to do additional selections for the parishes from which we receive the most applications,” she informed. Expounding on the nomination process, Miss Ximinnies said that community members such as teachers, pastors, police and youth club leaders, among others, could select nominees.
“We are encouraging persons to nominate children from their community who are actively involved in working in various projects, whether it is in their youth groups or their community service clubs, and children, who are in general, role models in their communities and schools,” she urged.
“We want children who have exemplified service to others, show respect for self and love of family and Jamaica,” she added.
Nominations are to be sent either to the NCMC c/o Child Development Agency, located at the Ministry of Health, 2-4 King Street, Kingston or Rural Services for Persons with Disabilities (RSPD), 191 Constant Spring Road.
Nominations can also be faxed to the RSPD at 969-5721. This year will mark the seventh year that the Community Service Awards will be handed out to children and young persons. Prizes include trophies, plaques and cash awards.