Recipients of the International Volunteer Day Awards at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston on Monday. Included are Kingston Volunteer of the Year, Elsie Sayle (front row, third left) and Pauline Samuels (fifth right), the St. Andrew Volunteer of the Year. - NATHANIEL STEWART/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHERMONDAY'S UNITED Nations International Volunteer Day for Kingston and St. Andrew saw a resident of each parish recognised for his or her lifetime commitment to voluntary service.
The awards ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston saw Pauline Samuels honoured with the St. Andrew Volunteer of the Year award, and Elsie Sayle doing likewise for the parish of Kingston.
Mrs. Samuels is known for her work with senior citizens, whom she has served while working for numerous organisations. She has been associated with the National Council for Senior Citizens for over 15 years. She chaired the Good Samaritan Senior Citizens Project from 1987-1992 and is now the
secretary.
SUPPORT TO THE ELDERLY
The Samaritans give moral, spiritual, physical and social support to the elderly in the community of Maxfield Avenue where they operate from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Mrs. Samuels coordinates the visits to the sick, the shut-ins, and the needy in the community.
She got involved in the construction of eight homes for elderly members of the congregation, the first being built and paid for by her husband and her. She then contacted Food for the Poor and other agencies to fund and furnish the other seven homes. In 2004, she started the St. Michael's senior citizens group of which she is currently president. Under this programme, she registers elderly persons to the various medical and health benefits which are available to them.
By contrast, Mrs. Sayle, O.D., has a keen interest in youths and was previously the chairman of the Kingston branch of the Young Men's Christian Association.
A former chief executive of the Council of Voluntary Social Services, she spent a total of 58 years with them, authoring a book on the organisation in 1994.
She travelled to Europe for the CVSS in 1967 to observe social work in countries such as England, The Netherlands and Denmark, and to improve the work then being done in Jamaica.
Ms. Sayle is currently assisting voluntarily with the Kingston Charity Organisation Society as secretary.
