On the evening of Saturday, April 30, the Blue and Gold bordering Neptune’s broken Trident flew in its glory at Centre Communautaire Sarto Desnoyers in Dorval as hundreds of Bajan joined by friends and supporters from across the city rallying around the flag in a celebration of the new Republic of Barbados at a Gala Cocktail Soiree themed Bim Spring.
The event, one of the first in the community following the COVID-19 lockdown, bubbled as the roomful of Montrealers enjoyed wall-to wall music with calypsonian Rupee’s “I’m A Bajan” substituting as the theme song of the evening, with ample servings of delightful fish-cakes and pudding and souce and drinks to warm the cockles of any Barbadian heart.
Another of the highlights of the evening was recognitions and presentation of commendations to deserving Bajans in Montreal.
The Bim Spring 2022 awards were presented to long-serving educator Gail Callendar, who is currently the assistant director of Student Services at the EMSB and to the indefatigable Nigel Clarke for decades of service to our community and to Barbados House Montreal of which he is a former president and current the treasurer.
Long-standing community personality Jewel Jones was presented with the Unsung Hero Award
Award given by Team Barbados, an initiative of Barbados in Toronto Canada.
Among the many high profile individuals present were Glyne Clark, High Commissioner of Barbados
Balarama Holness and his team of the newly instituted provincial political party, Movement Quebec and Greg Kelley west island Liberal MNA.
Jabar Griffiths served as master of ceremonies for the evening.
Jewel Jones earns B’dos Unsung Hero Award
Jewel Jones was the only Montrealer recognized for her cultural and community services by Team Barbados in Canada with the Unsung Hero Award, which was presented to her at the BIM Spring evening on April 30 by Hon. Glyne Clarke, High Commissioner for Barbados in Canada.
This year, Team Barbados in Canada awarded 11 deserving members of the diaspora who were nominated by their peers with the award.
Jewel’s recognition hinged on her contributions to several organizations in Montreal over the past 50 years.
“Jewel is a good listener, she is open and trustworthy and a person with great integrity who is well-respected by many in the Montreal community,” says Gemma Raeburn-Baynes, president of Playmas Montreal who supported her nomination for the award.
In receiving the award Jewel said she was humbled by the recognition.
The Barbados born, Montrealer is a retired social worker. In her formative years he attended Cooperative High School in Barbados and migrated to Montreal in 1970 to join her father and step-mother. She earned diplomas in Social Services and Gerontology from Marie-Victorian College.
And also holds a certificate in computer and office skills and lends her skills to teaching computer to seniors.
Today the proud mother of two girls, grandmother of four and great-granny of one stands as an example of dedication and service in our community as epitomized by this Unsung Heroes 2022 Award.
