In St. James, Jamaica, five dedicated local residents of the Salt Spring neighborhood have earned the distinguished title of Community Champions from the social development initiative Project STAR, honored for their years of consistent volunteer leadership and unwavering commitment to lifting their community.
The formal award ceremony took place during a recent public town hall meeting hosted by Project STAR at the Salt Spring New Testament Church, bringing together community members, local organizers and initiative leaders to celebrate the recipients’ contributions. Per an official statement from Project STAR, the honorees—Travis Cooke, Oraine Lawson, Barbara Beadle, Ann Marie Douglas and Sherri-Kay Morris—were recognized for impactful work spanning across four key areas: youth mentorship, community organizing, public communications and local entrepreneurship.
Barbara Beadle, a long-serving community volunteer and assistant public relations officer for the Salt Spring Community Development Commission (CDC), was singled out for her steady, unwavering support of Project STAR since the program launched in Salt Spring in early 2024. The initiative noted that Beadle consistently shows up to contribute her time, energy and encouragement to any project or group that needs support, from youth outreach to senior engagement. In her response to the award, Beadle shared that the honor came as a complete surprise, adding that she never pursued recognition for her community work. “I am well elated. I appreciate it. I wasn’t looking for it,” she said. Beadle, who helps facilitate connections between the Project STAR team and residents across all age groups, expressed hope that the program’s positive impact would endure long after its formal period of operation ends, noting that local residents are prepared to carry forward the work the initiative started.
Ann Marie Douglas, known affectionately by neighbors as “Ms Chin”, was recognized for her relentless grassroots organizing work, where she has encouraged hundreds of local residents to take part in Project STAR programs focused on strengthening family support systems and expanding access to job opportunities. Speaking after receiving her award, Douglas simply shared, “Well, I feel good.”
Sherri-Kay Morris, chief public relations officer for the Salt Spring CDC, was honored for her work keeping the community well-informed and actively engaged with initiative activities, ensuring open and accessible communication between program organizers and local residents. Morris shared that she felt “elated and excited” to receive the recognition, noting that most ongoing community work rarely receives public acknowledgment. She also praised Project STAR for its community-centered approach, noting that the initiative followed through on all its commitments, and stood out from other programs by centering resident input from the very start, designing tailored programs for children, youth and seniors based on what local people said they needed. “They came in, they promised, they delivered, and they even added topping to the cake,” Morris said.
Travis Cooke was recognized for his deep commitment to youth development through his work with the Kicking Forward Football Programme, which uses the popular sport as a platform to mentor at-risk young people and guide them toward positive life outcomes. Project STAR highlighted a recent example of Cooke’s dedication: when the community took a youth tournament trip to May Pen, Cooke volunteered his vehicle to transport participants free of charge, even covering all road toll costs out of pocket to uphold the program’s motto: “Everybody Fahwud”, or “Everybody Forward”.
Oraine Lawson, a key community leader based in Salt Spring’s Melbourne neighborhood, became involved with Project STAR through the initiative’s nano-grants program, which supports local small business owners. After receiving funding to expand his own business, Lawson has dedicated his time to encouraging other local residents, especially emerging entrepreneurs, to take advantage of the resources and opportunities Project STAR offers.
Saffrey Brown, project director for Project STAR, offered formal praise for all five awardees in her closing remarks. “I commend each of this year’s Community Champion awardees for the consistent service, leadership and care you demonstrate every day. Your example strengthens Salt Spring and inspires others to step forward. Thank you for helping to ensure that everybody fahwud,” Brown said.