On July 11, the Rotary Club of Antigua marked a pivotal transition in its decades-long mission of community service, hosting its annual Handover Ceremony and Awards Dinner at The Cove Restaurant inside Antigua’s Blue Waters Hotel. The event served two core purposes: celebrating the landmark achievements of the outgoing 2025–2026 Board of Directors and formally swearing in the new leadership team that will guide the club’s work across Antigua and Barbuda through 2027.
Outgoing President Elisa Graham opened the reflective portion of the evening, looking back on a successful term anchored in Rotary International’s 2025–2026 theme “Unite for Good.” Under Graham’s leadership, the club expanded its reach across multiple key areas, delivering impactful local service projects, scaling youth development programs, growing membership numbers, strengthening support for The Rotary Foundation, nurturing emerging local leaders, and boosting the organization’s public profile across the twin-island nation. Graham extended sincere gratitude to every board member, committee chair, rank-and-file Rotarian, corporate sponsor, and community partner who contributed to the year’s successes, noting that their collective dedication turned shared goals into tangible progress for communities across Antigua and Barbuda. Before closing her remarks, Graham offered a warm congratulations to incoming President Anastasia Wilson and her full board, expressing full confidence that the new leadership would build on the strong foundation laid over the previous year and deepen the club’s culture of service and fellowship.
Wilson takes the helm of the local club aligned with Rotary International’s 2026–2027 global theme “Create Lasting Impact,” a directive that calls on Rotarians worldwide to drive long-term community change through sustainable programming, collaborative cross-sector partnerships, and systemic, enduring improvement. Building on the local club’s 70-plus year legacy of community outreach, Wilson’s board will expand existing work in core priority areas: accessible education, youth empowerment, environmental sustainability, public health access, and cross-border humanitarian aid. The full 2026–2027 Board of Directors includes: Vice President PP Denise Armstrong, Secretary Rtn. Barbara Jarvis, Treasurer Rtn. Rozanne Emanuel, Service Projects Director PP Paul Ryan, Membership Director Rtn. Celia Samuel, Foundation Director Rtn. Delbert Baptiste, Youth Services Director Rtn. Sherwyn Greenidge, Public Image Chair Rtn. Dwayne Simon, Immediate Past President PP Elisa Graham, President Elect Rtn. T. Samoya Kirby, Club Administrator PP Evangeline Allen, and Sergeant-at-Arms Rtn. Barbara Hesse-Merchant.
Beyond the leadership handover, the evening doubled as a celebration of extraordinary service aligned with Rotary’s foundational motto “Service Above Self.” A slate of prestigious awards was presented to recognize exceptional leadership, volunteer commitment, and community impact.
Rotarian Linda Watkins earned the 2026 Director of the Year honor for her extraordinary work as the club’s outgoing treasurer. Watkins delivered robust, transparent financial stewardship that restored long-term stability to the club’s financial operations, maintained consistent accountability across all initiatives, and provided critical support to every club committee over the past Rotary year.
The highest local honor, Rotarian of the Year, was awarded to Rozanne Emanuel, who was recognized for her consistent, unwavering dedication and exemplary service to the club. Known for her selfless leadership, reliable support, and consistent willingness to lift up fellow Rotarians, Emanuel was celebrated as a perfect embodiment of the “Service Above Self” ideal that defines Rotary’s global mission.
Past President Evangeline Allen received the Service Excellence Award in recognition of her exceptional dual leadership over the past year: serving simultaneously as a club director and successfully chairing District RYLA 2025, a signature program that develops leadership skills for young people across the region. Allen’s work reaffirmed her longstanding commitment to nurturing the next generation of community leaders.
Finally, the club presented its annual Community Service Award to local resident Mr. Fitzgerald Ponde, honoring his generous pro bono contributions and critical logistical support for the construction of Peace Poles across Antigua and Barbuda. Ponde’s work has advanced Rotary’s global mission of building cross-cultural understanding, peace, and goodwill across local communities.
In her first official address to members as incoming president, Wilson thanked the club for the trust placed in her and the new board, and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to delivering meaningful, measurable, and sustainable impact through local service. Outlining her priorities for the coming year, Wilson highlighted four core focus areas: strengthening collaborative partnerships with local and regional stakeholders, growing inclusive membership to expand the club’s capacity, empowering young leaders through targeted programming, and delivering responsive community projects that address the evolving needs of populations across Antigua and Barbuda.