Rotarians honour their community heroes

(CNS): Four local people were honoured by the Rotary Sunrise Club of Grand Cayman who have gone above and beyond expectations to make Cayman a better place recently, officials revealed. Each of the four "Community Heroes" were awarded Paul Harris Fellow recognition, the highest award a Rotary club can bestow upon a non-Rotarian, as an expression of appreciation for their efforts in furtherance of the humanitarian goals advocated by Rotary clubs worldwide. Sue Horrocks, Alexandra Stewart Zemrie Ramoon Thompson and Gina Ebanks-Petrie were singled out by the servicr club for going above and beyond the call of duty.

The awards were presented during the club’s annual Charter Night program on the anniversary of the club’s ninth year of service in the Cayman Islands.

Ebanks-Petrie, the director of the Department of Environment and a founding member of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, refused the award unless her entire DoE team was recognized for their efforts. The honour was given to Ebanks- Petrie for the work she has done on environmental management and research, sustainable development, marine protection, and advisory services for conversation boards and committees.

Horrocks, who is head of the Junior School at Cayman Prep and High School, was honoured for her contribution to the arts and other community works, as musical director of the Cayman National Choir, founder of the Cayman National Orchestra, and an active volunteer with the Cayman Drama Society and Cayman HospiceCare.

Alexandra Stewart, is a volunteer and counselor at the Health Services Authority Mental Health Department, the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Services Family Support Unit. She is also a founding member of PAWS (Protection of Animal Welfare Society for the Eastern Districts).

Zemrie Ramoon Thompson was honoured for her work at the Department of Children and Family Services and was described as truly knowing what is happening in her community and going well beyond the job requirements to mobilize resources to assist families in need."
Rotary Sunrise was chartered in 2002 and has members who are mostly young professionals from Cayman and 24 other countries. They work hard to contribute to the local Caymanian and wider international communities, and meet for breakfast at 7 a.m. on Wednesdays at the Grand Old House.