Miss St Mary Festival Queen hopes to honour late grandmother

Shamoya Bailey, the 24-year-old newly crowned Miss St Mary Festival Queen, is embarking on an inspiring journey to uplift the lives of the elderly and shut-ins across her parish.

Bailey captured the hearts of both the audience and adjudicators during the coronation ceremony held at the St Mary Anglican Church Hall last Saturday. With grace, dignity, and deep cultural pride, she surpassed five other contestants to claim three out of six sectional prizes, including the Most Congenial trophy sponsored by Stayfree/Platex, Most Active in the Community sponsored by the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), and Most Popular on Social Media, sponsored by Excelsior.

Reflecting on her crowning, Bailey expressed overwhelming joy. “When I heard that I was the winner, I kept saying, ‘Thank you, Jesus,’ because I attended my grandmother’s funeral in the morning and then turned up for the competition after. I cried my eyes out in the morning but gave it my all that night. Although grandma wasn’t here to see this, I’m sure she would be pleased. I told her I was going to enter the competition, but due to her brain tumour diagnosis, she was often confused and forgetful.”

PASSION FOR NURSING

A registered nurse at Annotto Bay Hospital and a graduate of The University of the West Indies, Mona, Bailey embodies resilience and compassion in her pursuit of enriching the lives around her. Initially aspiring to become a pharmacist, she discovered her passion for nursing through volunteer work, realising her love for interacting with and helping people.

Bailey actively contributes to the Staff Welfare Committee at Annotto Bay Hospital, volunteers at the Spicy Grove Youth Centre in Oracabessa, and founded the empowering Girls Power group. “I usually meet with the young girls on Saturdays, mostly over the phone due to our schedules. Whenever I have a day off, I dedicate time to them. We discuss various issues they might be facing, including school and homework. Although we don’t have a lot of resources, we still find ways to support each other.”

With the new Festival Queen platform, Bailey plans to revive her mother’s dormant community project, which provides essential support to the elderly and shut-ins through warm meals and toiletries. “My mom started a project on her birthday in 2016 to help the elderly and shut-ins in the communities in and around Oracabessa in our parish. My sister, my mom, and I would get up early on Saturday mornings to prepare hot meals and deliver them to those in need. However, due to other obligations, the project was on pause. Now I plan to get help from my Girls Power group and maybe even some young men to help take care of the elderly. We will go out to different communities, cook meals, and provide services like hair and nail care, blood pressure checks, and other aspects of holistic care that I want to implement.”

“I’m doing this project in honour of my grandmother. She received the care she needed before passing, but many elderly people lack family support. By involving young people in helping the elderly, we can change perceptions, address their needs, and foster a caring community.”

Looking ahead, Bailey aims to bring the crown home to St Mary at the upcoming Miss Jamaica Festival Queen National Coronation on August 3 in Kingston, with hopes of inspiring and empowering the youth of her parish to achieve their full potential while assisting the elderly.