Thursday, March 28, 2024

WEDNESDAY WOMAN: Lion after young blood

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SHE HAS SPENT years serving her community through the Barbados Lions Club South, of which she has been a member for 15 years or more.
And now in her fourth month as president, Corlis Weekes-Grazette is working towards recruiting “new blood” for her den. The Lion Of The Year 2006-2007 told the MIDWEEK NATION how she became involved.
“I started community work from a very early age. I was a member of a youth group in my community that used to meet at St Bartholomew’s Boys’ School. And to keep that club going, I used to go from house to house looking for little children. I called them the Y Team.
“At one of the houses that I used to visit, the father was a vibrant member of the Lions Club and thought that I was good club material.
“I remember his saying to me one day, ‘They want people like you; someone who is involved in the community doing good things’,” explained the southern zone 4-H leader and mentor to a number of schools in her Christ Church district.
When she first joined, it was “rough” having to deal with mature members. Nevertheless, this determined Lion won the fight, “all because I wanted to serve my community”.
“The reason I stayed is because the motto of the club was We Serve. And I wanted to serve; I wanted to work and serve my community.”
She added: “And now, one of my goals as president is to embrace the youth. My main mission is to bring younger people into the fold of Lionism. In the South Club, we have persons who can’t do as much as before because they are getting older.
The Sunday School teacher and administrator at St Bartholomew’s Anglican Church revealed that she was not searching in vain. She said most of the young people she had approached were eager to enter the den.
“There are young people out there who want to know more about themselves. Some young people want to learn life skills. There are young people in Barbados who are interested in learning good morals and values.
“And this interest has shown the older members of the club that the youth can be our mouthpiece when we go out to do outreach programmes. We have to keep the Lionism growing. We don’t want it to last only for a few years and die,” argued the Sealey Hall, St Philip resident, who also works with the Parish Ambassadors programme.
According to the marketing consultant, she was born doing community work and planned to do it until she was physically unable.
“I had an aunt who was very cheerful and active. She was in all the organisations in the community and in the church; and I think that I am so much like her! The fact that I was born in the month of October says who I am.
“I am happy and jovial. I love people and I love to share my love with my family and those around me,” said the wife and mother of one.

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