ICOLE BAY, Sint Maarten – On January 25, the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset awarded 8 Essential Workers’ departments for their outstanding contributions to the community through their vocation and for exemplifying the Rotary ideal of “Service Above Self.” These departments have proven to continuously make sacrifices on a daily basis to ensure that our safety and wellbeing are met.
During the club’s general meeting, Youth Service Chair Kimberley Duzong and her committee members presented Rotary Vocational Excellence Awards to several departments on both sides of the island such as Croix Rouge (Red Cross), Erick Ambulance, St. Maarten Fire Department, St. Maarten Ambulance Department, St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS), Collective Preventative Services (CPS), Healthcare Laboratory Services (HLS) and Nurses We Care Foundation. Each department received a plaque which read “In recognition of your professional achievements and service rendered to your community especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The members of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset place on record that you stand as a living example of courage, sacrifice, determination, and conscious idealism of the Rotary’s motto, “Service Above Self.”
The Rotary Vocational Excellence Award aims to recognize outstanding achievements in Vocational Excellence and to honor individuals in the community for their outstanding contributions to the community through their respective vocations. It is also aimed to inspire members of the community, specifically the youth, to strive for Vocational Excellence for the benefit of their future careers and the island.
“On St. Martin, there are individuals who have truly exemplified the definition of Rotary’s motto ‘Service Above Self”. These recipients have gone beyond the call of duty especially during the pandemic and shown high ethical standards and professionalism in their vocations and voluntary efforts. I want to publicly thank all of you for ensuring that the population remain safe while putting your own health and the health of your family at risk. You are appreciated and never think for one second that your dedication to humanity goes unnoticed”, President Lake stated during the award ceremony.
The representatives of the various departments awarded shared their emotional experiences they have gone through since the pandemic, reminded the members present to continue practicing the necessary protocols and thanked the club for recognizing their efforts in combating the COVID-19 virus currently plaguing the island.
The members of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset would like to congratulate all recipients for their selfless dedication and encourage the public to make a valuable contribution to a better society through their daily activities in business or their chosen profession. Rotary Sunset would like to encourage the general public to visit its Facebook page at rotarysxmsunset to read more about the 2021 Vocational Excellence Award recipients.
Pictured: from left to right, Rotarian Suenah, Nurse Chalmarie Vlaun ofthe Ambulance Department, Eric Javios of Erick Ambulance, Alison Busby of SLS, Stacy-Ann Violenes of Nurses We Care Foundation, President Elisia Lake, Cylred Richardson of Ambulance Department,Farah Viotty of Croix Rouge, Marvin Dollison of St. Maarten Fire Department, Rotarian Courtney and Youth Service Chair Kimberley Duzong, missing Dr. Fey van der Dijs of HLS and a representative from CPS.
