Rodney-White elected governor of EC&C District of Kiwanis Int’l
Published:Saturday | June 1, 2024 | 12:11 AMJanet Silvera/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Jamaican Pamela Rodney-White has been elected Governor for the Eastern Canada & Caribbean (EC&C) District of Kiwanis International, a global organisation of member-volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time.
Rodney-White was elected during the just-concluded Kiwanis District Convention at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.
Her tenure commences October 1, 2024, and ends September 30, 2025. She is the third Jamaican to serve in this prestigious position. The others being Kiwanis Club of Hopewell’s Hope Markes and South St Catherine’s Sharon Cameron-Dunn.
Some 16 countries in the EC&C falls under her leadership.
“She is a solid Kiwanian, her mantle has been the welfare of the disabled community, and she was able to get Governor General of Jamaica Sir Patrick Allen to proclaim September 12 each year as Kiwanis for Disability Day in Jamaica,” said Leighton McKnight, District Trustee for Region G.
He said she is renowned as a champion for service leadership programme, which consists of K-Kids, affecting students at the kindergarten level; Builders Clubs in primary schools; Key Clubs at the high school level and Circle-K found in the colleges. While AKTION Clubs, for adults with disabilities is her passion.
Rodney-White’s journey as a community volunteer began nearly 47 years ago when she joined Jaycees, serving in various positions, ultimately as president. After retiring from Jaycees, she joined the Optimist Club of Kingston, where she served as distinguished secretary/treasurer.
In 2006, Governor Designate (GD) Rodney-White transitioned to Kiwanis, joining the Kiwanis Club of Stony Hill before transferring to the Kiwanis Club of Constant Spring (KCCS). At KCCS, she has been actively involved in numerous service projects.
“My focus is on service, so much so that my theme for the year will be ‘Service in Action’. I want to see the clubs performing more service work and do more projects to assist persons,” Rodney-White told The Gleaner yesterday afternoon.
Her district project, she says, will be assisting a child to obtain cardiac surgery. The aim is to partner with Chain of Hope, the organisation which has been doing several surgeries on children at the Bustamante Hospital for Children.
“This child is one with a disability, so this falls in line with my passion. We will have to fundraise to find the money needed to carry out this project,” said Rodney-White.
As president of KCCS, Rodney-White has led a committee to provide hearing aids and screening tests for students at the Randolph Lopez School of Hope in Kingston. Her major project during her presidency was a collaboration with the Universal Service Fund to establish a state-of-the-art computer lab at the Abilities Foundation, complete with the JAWS programme.
This project earned her the Governor’s Pin and the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the best major project in the division for 2012 to 2013. Additionally, she secured 18 scholarships for trainees at the institution.
Rodney-White served as lieutenant governor for Kiwanis Division 23 East in 2018-2019. Her focus was championing the cause for persons with disabilities. Under her supervision, the division’s 22 clubs executed over 60 significant projects, raising awareness and support for the disability community.
This remarkable effort earned the division the 2019 UCC Excellence in Community Service Award from the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean.
In the final quarter of her tenure, under the umbrella of The Kiwanis Foundation of Jamaica, GD Rodney was recognised for the outstanding leadership and contributions, she was awarded the Distinguished Lieutenant Governor of Excellence.
Among the notable projects executed at the divisional level for persons with disabilities were:
• Establishing a Food Bank at the Abilities Foundation specifically for persons with disabilities.
• Procuring and distributing a large quantity of toys from Florida to six institutions serving children with disabilities.
• Providing five scholarships to trainees at the Abilities Foundation. Offering financial support to the Jamaica Society for the Blind. Hosting a sports day in collaboration with Jamaica Special Olympics to promote inclusiveness.