(CMR) Michael Rhoden, a long-serving volunteer of the Cayman Islands Red Cross (CIRC), was recently given the “Volunteer of the Year” award for his dedicated work throughout 2021.
The CIRC recently hosted its annual volunteer appreciation event to recognize and highlight the achievements of the CIRC volunteers in 2021.
Rhoden was described as one who simply did not stop. Rhoden reportedly provided first aid coverage at eight (8) events and regularly volunteered his time assisting the Thrift Shop with picking up donations.
He was also actively involved in the Support Our Seniors project, regularly assisted with the Container Project, the organizations of disaster response supplies, and he even made the time to be deployed during Tropical Storms Grace and Ida.
Deputy Governor Franz Manderson presented the CIRC’s volunteers with their awards and thanked them for their hard work and their contribution to the Cayman Islands Community.
Last year was a hectic year for the CIRC as the organization marked its 60th anniversary in 2021, and over 250 CIRC volunteers were deployed to assist the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CIRC volunteers delivered groceries and provided isolation support to over 400 families placed in quarantine, assisted with COVID-19 testing, and manned all government shelters during tropical storms “Grace” and “Ida.”
“The Red Cross is an organization built on volunteer work and community engagement. This event first started as a way to recognize the tremendous work done by volunteers during Hurricane Ivan and since then has become an annual event which celebrates our volunteers and the work they’ve put in in the passing year,” said Director Jondo Obi.
Deputy Director and Child Protection & Sexuality Education Programme Manager, Carolina Ferreira, provided a summary of the work done in the area of child protection in 2021.
Ferreira explained that the multi-agency group Protection Starts Here (PSH), which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, faced challenges during 2021 created by the pandemic and that significantly impacted the CIRC’s ability to deliver the Darkness to Light “Stewards of Children” training session to the community.
Before the pandemic, the uptake in this training session had grown exponentially, with the organization reaching just under 600 persons trained in each.
Given that all emergencies significantly enhance existing vulnerabilities, the CIRC needed to find a way to reintroduce D2L to the community. With support from Help For Children Cayman (formerly Hedge Funds Care), the CIRC was able to get local Authorized Facilitators trained to deliver the methodology virtually and launch the virtual D2L platform free of cost.
Disaster Manager Eddie Sepp Tinling-Miller provided an overview of the work done in disaster preparedness and response. In 2021, the CIRC established three (3) Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), two of which are general community responders and one in North Side specifically.
Tinling-Miller said 125 persons undertook the 36-hour training session to become a part of the team and are now ready to respond as part of the national emergency response plan.
First Aid Training Manager Peter Hughes thanked first aid volunteers for their hard work in covering 29 events throughout 2021, with 180 CIRC volunteers deployed to ensure the health and safety of attendees. The first aid program was also responsible for training over 900 individuals in life-saving skills.
The program has also launched the First Aid for Teachers initiative, sponsored by Walkers. This project aims to build capacity within the schools by ensuring first aid training is offered free of cost to teachers and education staff. Sixty-three teachers from six schools utilized the service, and more are scheduled for 2022.
Award Winners for programs were:
First Aid Volunteer of the Year – Carlene Bradshaw Miller
Outstanding Support – First Aid Coverage – Sonia Morrits
Outstanding Support – First Aid Coverage – Tanya Walters Webb
Outstanding Support – First Aid Coverage – Julia King
Thrift Shop Volunteer of the Year – Gwenever Hamil
All Around Thrift Shop Support Award – Joy Walker
Thrift Shop Administration Support Award – Sean Tatham
Community Outreach Award – Michael Thrope
Disaster Management Volunteer of the Year – Joseph Kibue
Exceptional Leadership Award – Bernard Turner
Exceptional Leadership Award – Hortense Wright
Administration Support
Newcomer of the Year – Meera Mohiddin Mohammed
Overall Organizational Support Award – Pamella Martin
Behind the Scenes Support Award – Anna Beesoon and Michael Wild
Administration support – Daniel Carabulea
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