A new slate of leaders were made official on Thursday, October 19th, 2023, during an ‘Installation of Officers and Directors’ ceremony, held by the Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera. The event, which was hosted at the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce’s Business Hub in Rock Sound, saw national leaders within the Kiwanis organization, join their colleagues in Eleuthera for the auspicious occasion.
Special guests who flew in from the nation’s capital included; The Bahamas Kiwanis (Division 22) Lieutenant Governor Anastasia Johnson; District Trustee L. Sandra Butler; along with Division 22 Secretary Janelle Pickering.
Newly elected President for the Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera, Meredith Atwood, along with her Club Officers and Directors, were all installed on the day by Lieutenant Governor Johnson. The new Kiwanis leadership taking up the baton of service were: President, Meridith Atwood; President Elect, Vernica Clayton-Russell; Immediate Past President, Melinda Wallace; Secretary, Margaritta Culmer; and Treasurer, Kristy Ferguson. The new directors for the Club were – Lincoln Young, L. Sandra Butler, Shirley Krezel, Carl Knowles, and Sheilamae Sands.
New President Atwood, was described during the ceremony as ‘young and dynamic’, and one ‘who truly believes in service and her community’. During her installation, President Meredith, in her remarks, promised to work closely with the community and schools, with a special focus on children with physical challenges. She said, her passion came from her family, as while growing up as a child, she saw her parents and family helping the needy and those who desired support and hope. The act of their generosity, she said, has engraved in her the importance of kindness and lending a helping hand to the less fortunate in her community.
She also thanked the club for its Past Presidents and Leaders who have served over the many years, since it was formally established on December 18th, in 1970. The Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera is the fourth oldest Kiwanis club in The Bahamas.
With the club theme for the upcoming administrative year being, ‘Making A Difference Through Service’, efforts are already underway. The first community project spearheaded by President Atwood was a partnership with civic organization the Dignified Girls, led by Tammy Hendfield, where the partners presented the Preston H. Albury High School with a sanitary napkin dispenser.
President Atwood commented, “Based on our partnership, we are committed to ensuring that this dispenser is refilled on a monthly basis for at least one year.”
