In recognition of personal excellence and community spirit in the county of Cornwall, 15 stalwarts were honoured with the Governor General's Achievement Award earlier this month at the Negril Golf Club in Westmoreland.
The group comprise five seniors and 10 youth recipients whose lives showcase individuals who have risen against the odds and were not satisfied with their personal achievements, but decided to contribute to the well-being and development of others around them as well.
Today, we present the awardees for St Elizabeth.
Beryl Rochester
Beryl Rochester (centre) receives the Governor General's Achievement Award from Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall. Looking on at left is Custos of St Elizabeth, Alfred Farquharson.
"You start out serving, not for the purpose of getting an award or reward, but it does energise and motivate you to do more," Beryl Rochester, St Elizabeth recipient of the Governor General's Achievement Award, told The Gleaner.
This award she will add to her growing collection which include The 2005 Volunteerism Award for St Elizabeth and the parish Golden Scale Award for the Lay Magistrates' Association of Jamaica.
Rochester, who retired as financial controller at Alpart in 2005, currently does a lot of work with street people and is co-manager of the St Elizabeth Care Committee. She is also a part of the Friends of the Junction Women's centre, which gives delinquent young women a second chance in life and has aided hurricane victims.
Source of income
She is also part of the past students' association of the Bull Savannah Primary School and belongs to the Executive of the Lay Magistrates' Association. She has served on the Southern Regional Health Board.
"I hate to see street people being disadvantaged. But for the grace of God, it could have been me or you," said Rochester, who said that while growing up, the major source of income in her household was the sale of bammies.
Lunce Dowdie
Lunce Dowdie (left), collects her Governor General's Youth Award for Excellence from Governor General, Sir Kenneth Hall at a presentation function, held at the Negril Hills Golf Club in Westmoreland on September 10. Dowdie and 11 other young persons from the county of Cornwall and fiveadults were presented with their awards.
Lunce Dowdie is an active member in her school and an excellent academic who has been nominated by her fellow peers for the Governor General's Achievement Youth Award for St Elizabeth.
Following distinctions in accounting and communication studies, a credit in food and nutrition and a pass in biology, Dowdie has shown her academic excellence in successfully completing her first year in sixth form at Black River High. After sixth form, she plans to attend the Church Teacher's College in Mandeville.
Dowdie, who is part of her school football and netball team, has also been a key component in the development of the school's newspaper and yearbook. Dowdie says she does not feel that she would have been able to achieve as much as she had if she was not vigorously involved in these extra curricular activities.
More settled and relaxed
"I think that you are more settled and relaxed, and it shows people that even though you get involved in sports, you can still excel when you put your mind to it."
On being named a recipient, Dowdie said: "I feel great, very very excited, usually when I am successful I don't really feel it because I usually expect it, but this came as a shock."
Duwayne Lawrence
Retired detective Superintendent of Police, Douglas Lawrence (centre), collects an award from Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall (right), on behalf of his son, Duwayne Lawrence, who was one of two young persons selected to receive the Governor General's Youth Award for Excellence. Looking on at left is Custos of St Elizabeth, Alfred Farquharson. - Photos by Noel Thompson
A desire to play his part in advancing Jamaica and to see good coming from society are among the factors that have motivated Duwayne Lawrence in assisting youth along a path of excellence.
Lawrence is one of the youth awardees of the Governor General's Achievement Awards for the parish of St Elizabeth.
Lawrence, who worked as a teacher for a year, said: "When I worked as a teacher, I realised the critical state that some of our youth are in."
He explained that this propelled him to do more work with youth.
Only 25 years old, he has been involved in a number of outreach projects, volunteering as a mentor in the National Youth Service and as an adolescent instructor in the Lift Up Jamaica programme. He is chairman of the St Elizabeth Youth Council and is a Red Cross HIV instructor.
Mentorship programme
While reading for a degree in accounting at the University of the West Indies, he took time to get involved in the mentorship programme. He is now pursuing a degree in law.
Lawrence expressed elation and gratitude on being named a recipient of the prestigious award.
"When I started voluntary work, I wasn't thinking about an award, but it shows that hard work pays off and it is appreciated," he said.
