Donna Coombs ends successful year as Kiwanis lieutenant governor

Driven by her passion to serve children, Donna Coombs joined the Kiwanis movement in St Ann 16 years ago. Last year, she was elected to the key leadership position of Lieutenant Governor (LG) for Kiwanis International Division 24, which consists of 11 clubs spread across the parishes of St Ann, St Mary, and Portland.

As LG, her responsibilities included, among other things, increasing membership and opening new clubs.

It was a successful year in that regard and in other areas, as Coombs did several projects that supported the Kiwanis motto, ‘Serving the Children of the World’.

“It was a successful year,” Coombs told The Gleaner. “During my tenure, we charted four new clubs, the Kiwanis Club of Eight Rivers, Ocho Rios, the Kiwanis Club of St Ann’s Bay, the Kiwanis Club of Armadale, and the Kiwanis Club of Annotto Bay. These four clubs were chartered with over 20 new Kiwanians. We also chartered two Circle K Clubs, in Moneague and at the Brown’s Town Community College, a Key Club at York Castle High School and two K-Kids, one at Breadnut Hill Primary and one at Iona Prep School.”

BABY BASKET PROJECT

The Kiwanians started the year on a bright note, on January 1, rolling out their baby basket project at the four hospitals across the three parishes, St Ann’s Bay, Port Maria, Annotto Bay, and Portland.

“We got stuff to package, from Cari-Med, Facey Commodity, and the individual clubs and we delivered over 56 gift baskets to all the mothers on the maternity wards on New Year’s Day.”

But perhaps the work she is most satisfied with would be the establishment of security booths at four schools in St Ann and St Mary.

Built at a total cost of $800,000, the first security booth was built at Breadnut Hill Primary, the second at Brown’s Town Infant, both schools in St Ann, the third at Trinity Primary and the fourth at Ramble primary, in St Mary.

“I decided on this project because it’s the safety of the children we are concerned about because Kiwanis’ mandate is Serving the Children of the World,” Coombs said.

In March, Melford Clarke, governor for Eastern Canada and the Caribbean, paid a seven-day visit to Jamaica as a guest of Division 24, adding spice to Coombs’ successful tenure. During his stay, Clarke visited projects throughout the 11 clubs in the division and also paid a courtesy call on Governor General Sir Patrick Allen.

Among those who helped to make the year a success were sponsors of the security booths projects, including Elsworth Dixon of Vicbern Aluminium and Asphalt Roofing, Columbus Blocks in Discovery Bay, and Mark Knight of Wadmar Construction in St Mary, and the aforementioned distributors of baby products.

Coombs also had a big thank you to the supporting team of Kiwanians who ensured her tenure was a success.

Her administrative year ended on September 29 when she handed over the baton to the new LG Nesbert Smith in a ceremony at Casa de Shalom hotel in Ocho Rios.