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‘This is for you; Roy & Shaheem’ – Ms Gloria A. Fahie
A massive number of Rotarians and special guests travelled to Norman Island’s Pirate’s Bight yesterday afternoon November 2, 2014 for their first ever Foundation Dinner. Among them were Premier of the Virgin Islands and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith and wife Mrs Lorna G. Smith and Guest of Honour District Governor 7020 Mr Paul Brown and Wife Mrs Kay Brown who travelled from Jamaica for the event.
Each of the Rotary Clubs awarded one of the women as was voted by their individual club members.
Loud were the cheers and everyone rose to their feet as Ms Fahie was presented her Paul Harris Fellow award following the most touching story of her life was told by Past District Governor Mr Vance Lewis.
Ms Fahie was diagnosed with breast cancer some four years ago and it was her granddaughter who had first noticed a strange discharge coming from one of her breasts. “She got into action immediately. She told herself that whatever her future held, she was not in the battle alone. She was ready to fight and had no intention of throwing in the towel or quitting. Cancer was messing with the wrong woman,” said Mr Lewis.
President of the Rotary Club of Road Town Mr Shan Mohamed told Ms Fahie that she has set an example for many to follow.
“Gloria A. Fahie you have set an example for many in your community. Your personal involvement makes your community a better place in which we live. The Rotary Club of Road Town recognizes these efforts and has made a contribution to the Rotary Foundation in your name,” said Mr Mohamed.
Responding and accepting her award Ms Fahie said that today she stands a stronger survivor of cancer having won her battle some four years and counting. She said that she live by three words, concern, caring and committed.
She was selfless in accepting her award which she told the audience that she took in honour of two members of the BVI Cancer Society who lost their battle recently; the young man Shaheem D. A. Richards and Mr Roy A. Hodge. “But most of all what I do, the work I do they are for the survivors, the supporters and those persons such as Roy Amos Hodge and Shaheem D. A. Richards – This is for you,” she said.
Ms Judith M. Charles was also not selfish in accepting her award as she credited Dr. Sylvia M. Simmons for being the backbone of the Family Support Network (FSN). “The real hero at FSN, the person who sees all those people is Dr Sylvia M. Simmons, the people who come to FSN depend on all of you to support FSN so that we can support them. They are not some nameless, faceless people on a poster. These people are very real to us…” said Ms Charles.
She added that those persons who use the services of FSN have humbled her as much as the award did. “All of us at that table appreciate that you have noticed us, that you have seen the work that we do, that we are not invisible and for that I say thank you very much but I would like to challenge all of you to continue to support FSN and please support us with the same dollars that you are going to send to eradicate polio.”
President of the Rotary Club of Tortola Mr Henry O. Creque said that Ms Charles was chosen because they believed that her that her leading the work of FSN exemplifies the humanitarian and educational objectives of the Rotary Foundation. “We thank you for dedicating in your life and location a commitment to helping persons in need here and around the world,” said Mr Creque.
On the part of Ms Dawson who is the director of the BVI Autism Centre, President of the Rotary Club of Sunrise Ms Jean Vanterpool said that Ms Dawson was an example to many in her contributions to the community in the area of education, persons with special needs especially. “Your personal involvement makes the BVI community a better place in which to live, the Rotary Club Sunrise of Road Town recognizes these efforts and has made a contribution to the foundation in your name,” said Ms Vanterpool.
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