Honorable Minister Rankine Congratulates Red Cross Volunteers

The Cayman Islands Red Cross (CIRC) recently hosted its 21st Annual Volunteer Appreciation event, "The Henris", at The Westin Grand Cayman. Each year this event aims to recognize and highlight the achievements of the CIRC volunteers over the past year. CIRC Director, Jondo Obi, welcomed dignitaries, Board members, and volunteers, emphasizing, "Our work, whether in disaster preparedness, first aid support, community engagement, supporting a senior, or humanitarian training would simply not be possible with your dedication".
The event opened with reflections from Immediate Past Board Chair, Doug Moffatt, and remarks from present Board Chair, Darren Trickett, who, in turn, expressed appreciation for the commitment and care shown by the volunteers throughout 2025. Keynote Speaker, the Honourable Isaac Rankine, JP, MP, Minister for Social Development and Innovation, and Minister for Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage addressed attendees and spoke passionately about the spirit of volunteerism. Her Excellency the Governor, Mrs. Jane Owen, presented Youth Service awards, and thanked Mr. Moffatt for his nine years of dedicated service as Board Chair. 
A Long Service Pin was awarded to Tanya Walters-Webb for 16 years of volunteering.
CIRC Youth Service awards were presented to volunteers Arriana Miller and Antoine Viney, for their enthusiasm and commitment displayed while working Saturdays at the Thrift Shop. 
CIRC staff celebrated the volunteers' accomplishments in each of their programmes:
Child Protection Manager, Dr Shreya Nauhria, provided a summary of the work done in the area of child protection. Stewards of Children by Darkness to Light (D2L) is mandatory training for CIRC volunteers and also open to public participation. Close to 1650 people attended this course either online or in person. Hundreds of community members also attended the HIV/AIDS and STI Awareness & Education programme, while close to 100 people attended the Emotional Abuse Training, all strengthening our community's health, wellness, and advocacy.  
First Aid Training Manager Peter Hughes thanked a dedicated team of 49 First Aid volunteers for their hard work in attending 73 events over the course of 2025. Volunteers also assisted RCIPS in the missing persons search, manned the Red Cross shelters in 2025, and participated in the Mass Casualty Training Exercise.  
Thrift Shop / Community Engagement Managers Eddie Sepp Tinling-Miller and Anggia Pranandita thanked volunteers for their dedication to the programme. This group of volunteers is the biggest and the most visible year round, as they not only keep the Thrift Shop open and organized three days a week, they keep the CIRC Community Engagement programmes going all year long. These include Donate with Dignity, donation collections, Recycle for Red, book drives, and Deals on Wheels. 
Disaster Manager, Graham Peck, provided an overview of activity in 2025, which included the Disaster Relief Containers, placed strategically around Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. Container interiors were checked, cleaned, and contents repacked, while the exteriors were repaired, repainted, and received new signage. 
In 2025 the CIRC successfully trained sixty volunteers to serve as Shelter Managers. These volunteers were integrated into the national emergency response system and were fully prepared for deployment across the 19 designated shelters in Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. 
One of the year's most dynamic disaster preparedness exercises was "Operation Aftershock" where, in coordination with the Cayman Cadets, CIRC volunteers experienced a 2-day disaster simulation, which included hiking, sleeping outdoors, crossing chest-deep water, and simulating emergency response situations. 
Volunteer and Resource Manager Samantha White-Smith recounted numerous achievements throughout 2025, including welcoming 121 new volunteers through the Ideas in Action (IIA) course, and seeing 43 volunteers attend the Membership 201 Course, which confers membership upon this select group and strengthens their knowledge and connection to the organization. Volunteers were also celebrated during World Red Cross day, May 8th, and during the Summer BBQ. 
The year 2025 marked an impactful 5 years of the Support Our Seniors (SOS) programme, with 802 trips completed! Seniors receive support through transportation to medical appointments, wellbeing and social visits, grocery shopping assistance, and prescription refill and delivery services. 
Award Winners were as follows:
Overall Organizational Support -- Almira Navarro
Newcomer of the Year -- Jerian Howard
Behind the Scenes Admin Support -- Aleyya Gafoor-Ali
Rising Star -- First Aid -- Velma Scott
Outstanding Support, Support our Seniors -- Katherine Romano
Store Sparkle Hero, Thrift Shop Community Engagement -- Nickeshia Downie
Logistics Support, Thrift Shop Community Engagement -- Oscar Duran
Trailblazer, Community Engagement -- Michael Thorpe   
Outstanding Support, Disaster Management -- Leilani Puyat 
Rockstar, Building Renovation Project -- Reji Vijayasenan Ratnamma 
Logistics Support, Child Protection -- Asanga Ratnayaka
2025 Volunteer of the Year - Charmaine Lawrence
The evening closed with the Volunteer of the Year award, presented to Charmaine Lawrence. Throughout 2025 Charmaine set a high bar for commitment, service, and active involvement within our organization. Her enthusiasm is boundless and she consistently steps forward to support all major programmes with a positive attitude and unwavering dedication. Charmaine Lawrence's exceptional contribution, reliability, and compassionate service truly embody the spirit of volunteerism. She is a shining example of what it means to serve with heart, integrity, and excellence, making her a most deserving recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award. 
For more information on how to volunteer at the Cayman Islands Red Cross please contact vrm@redcross.org.ky , or 925-2251, or go online at redcross.org.ky for more information.