On June 27, 2026, the Rotary Club of Dominica launched its 2026–2027 service year at a formal investiture ceremony held at the St. Alphonsus Parish Hall, bringing together dozens of distinguished guests, community leaders, and club members to mark both a leadership transition and a celebration of decades of humanitarian impact across the island nation.
The guest list for the annual ceremony included Dominica’s sitting head of state, President Her Excellency Sylvanie Burton, alongside her spouse, as well as former President Charles Angelo Savarin and his wife Clara Savarin, who were in attendance for a historic honor that would be bestowed later in the evening. Delivering the event’s keynote address was Dr. Kimone Joseph, head of the University of the West Indies Dominica Global Campus, who used her platform to uplift the organization’s decades-long work. In her remarks, Dr. Joseph urged Rotary members to keep centering community leadership through intentional service, challenging the group to continue crafting meaningful, long-term change for Dominica’s residents. She also commended the club for its steady contributions to national development across generations, delivered through hundreds of targeted, high-impact community projects.
A core order of business for the ceremony was the formal installation of the club’s new leadership team for the 2026–2027 term. Paul Harris Fellow Cecil Shillingford was sworn in as the club’s new president, and he committed to building on the organization’s 100-plus year legacy of service while rolling out new programming tailored to address the shifting, evolving needs of communities across Dominica. Shillingford’s tenure will align with Rotary International’s 2026–2027 global theme, “Create Lasting Impact,” a guiding principle that will shape all of the club’s work in the coming year. The full 2026–2027 Board of Directors was also announced at the event: Annie Rosemary Edwards will serve as Vice President, Galeine Dianna Gordon-Seraphine as President-Elect, Dr. Jermaine Jewel Jean-Pierre as both Immediate Past President and Secretary, Katia Lazare-Pascal as Treasurer, Reverend Father Elton J. Letang as Foundation Chair, Michelle Joseph as Young Leaders Contact and Youth Services Chair, Bianca Payne as Membership Chair, Darin M. Grell as Public Image Chair, Gloria Tavernier as Club Administration Lead, Marie-Jose Edwards as Service Projects Chair, and Roslyn Sorhaindo as Sergeant-at-Arms.
The undoubted highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Paul Harris Fellow recognition to former President Charles Angelo Savarin. This honor stands as one of the highest distinctions awarded by Rotary International, bestowed only on individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary service to humanity and whose contributions have created enduring public good. The club selected Savarin for the award in recognition of his decades of distinguished public service to Dominica, steady leadership through national challenges, and unwavering dedication to advancing the country’s growth and development. His career and personal values, the club noted, perfectly align with Rotary’s global mission of upholding integrity, advancing leadership, and prioritizing service to others.
Outgoing president Dr. Jermaine Jewel Jean-Pierre, a Paul Harris Fellow herself, also took the stage to reflect on the organization’s highly successful 2025–2026 term. She highlighted the wide range of community service projects completed over the previous year, and extended gratitude to the club’s board, committee chairs, rank-and-file members, corporate sponsors, community partners, and volunteer supporters who made those achievements possible. She reaffirmed that Rotary’s ongoing success across decades is rooted in its core founding principle: Service Above Self.
In additional awards presented during the ceremony, Rotarian Jasmine Timothy, a Paul Harris Fellow, was named Rotarian of the Year for 2025–2026. The award recognized Timothy’s extraordinary dedication to the club, consistent commitment to community service, and outstanding contributions to the organization’s work over the past term.
As the new term gets underway, the Rotary Club of Dominica has outlined clear priorities aligned with the “Create Lasting Impact” theme. In the coming year, the club will continue expanding its humanitarian service across the island, with targeted projects focused on expanding educational access, advancing environmental protection, improving public health outcomes, and strengthening community resilience for all Dominicans.