Nassau, Bahamas – RBC Royal Bank, sponsor of the Second Annual Bahamian Icon Awards, will be presenting the Humanitarianism Award at the Icon awards ceremony on July 12, 2014, taking place at the Atlantis Theater, Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and Casino. Mr. Robert Pantry, recently named managing director of RBC FINCO, will present the award on behalf of RBC.
“We are proud to partner with the Bahamian Icon Awards as they honour exceptional Bahamians who are making significant contributions to our country,” said Mr. Pantry. “RBC has a long-standing commitment to support, build and empower communities where we do business. Our sponsorship of this event – particularly the Humanitarian category – ties directly to that commitment.”
RBC congratulates the five nominees in the 2014 Humanitarianism category:
• Camille Lady Barnett – Bahamas AIDS Foundation – 92 words
As president of the Bahamas AIDS foundation since 2002, Camille Lady Barnett is a tireless advocate for improving the treatment and quality of life for those impacted by HIV/AIDS. During her career, she has spearheaded numerous programmes, including “Combating HIV/AIDS through a Culture of Reading,” to increase awareness and sensitivity among schoolchildren; the Men’s Health Initiative, to provide HIV/AIDS education to populations most at risk of contracting the disease; and a programme that provides financial support to purchase medications for individuals with HIV/AIDS. The foundation also sponsors World AIDS Day in The Bahamas, which involves hundreds of school children dressed in red creating a human red ribbon across New Providence.
• Mario Carey – R.E.A.C.H.
Mario Carey, president of R.E.A.C.H. – Resources for the Education of Autism and Related Challenges – has been a driving force behind efforts to provide education, summer camp opportunities, support meetings and expert training to address the special needs of children with autism. Under Mr. Carey’s persistent leadership, Rotary provided support to R.E.A.C.H. to build a classroom and playground, specifically equipped for preschool children with autism. The success of that initiative led Mr. Carey to approach the government for funding to build a Centre for Special Needs. The Centre, which is scheduled to open in 2015 on a sprawling 30-acre campus, will serve more than 35,000 people in The Bahamas.
• Nicholas Dean – IBS Build a Bridge Challenge
With more than 19 years of experience in engineering and construction, Nicholas Dean, principal of Integrated Building Services (IBS), wants to inspire Bahamian students to develop a life-long interest in engineering and applied sciences. To achieve that goal, Mr. Dean sponsors the “Build a Bridge Challenge” in The Bahamas. Through this competition, high school students compete in building bridges with popsicle sticks, glue and their own ingenuity, to see which bridge design can hold the most weight. Many students who participate in this event will become the country’s future civil engineers. Through their projects, the students also learn the importance of teamwork, critical thinking, and thinking outside the box.
• Dr. Sandra Dean-Patterson – Bahamas Crisis Center
As founder and director of the Bahamas Crisis Center since 1982, Dr. Dean-Patterson is committed to responding to the needs of all victims of sexual, physical and psychological abuse. Under Dr. Dean-Patterson’s leadership, the Crisis Center offers free counseling for men, women and children in all areas, including domestic violence, rape, marital issues and child abuse. She also launched The Healthy Teen campaign, which focuses on helping high school students develop productive relationships, and advocates for legislative change to protect victims of violence. Among other accomplishments, Dr. Dean-Patterson founded the Caribbean Association of Rehabilitative Therapists and served as president and founder of The Bahamas Association of Social Workers.
• Jaydian Miller – Bahamas Primary School Student of The Year Foundation
Jaydian Miller has an undying passion for the education and forward progression of Bahamian youth. As a director of the Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Foundation, he frequently speaks to school children about the importance of education. He also established a personal scholarship, which has donated $4,000 over a three-year period to deserving primary school students to help defray the costs of furthering their education. In all, the Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Foundation has raised more than $900,000 in scholarships, changing the lives of 1,663 students in need of financial assistance to defray the costs of their high school education.
The 2014 Icon Award winner in the Humanitarianism category, as well as the other nine Icon Award categories, will be announced at the event on July 12, 2014. Tickets are on sale at SIDDA Communications Group, Ltd. in the Shirley Street Plaza or at the Bahamian Icon Awards website: www.bahamianiconawards.com.
Founded by Mr. Addis T. Huyler, who also serves as Executive Producer of the event, the Bahamian Icon Awards was established in 2013 to honor men and women across all disciplines who have made significant contributions to the Bahamian community. Persons in each category are nominated by members of the general public through the Icon Awards website. This gives the public the opportunity to recognize and show their appreciation for the many outstanding contributions made by heroes from all spheres of influence. Icon finalists and winners are selected by the ICON Official Selection Board.
“We want to thank RBC for their support of the 2014 Icon Awards,” said Mr. Huyler. “RBC has proven itself to be one of our country’s leading corporate citizens, and their support will go a long way in assisting us in recognizing other iconic citizens in The Bahamas.”
