Saturday 2 November 2024
Iconic community leader and social justice advocate Suzette Small-Weekes got the surprise of her life last Saturday. As President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ottawa Association, she was busy overseeing the country’s 48th Independence Day celebrations at the Sana San Marconi Event Centre, when she was summoned to the podium by the United Way Eastern Ontario Recognition Team Sarah Onyango. Who then informed her and her many delighted fans and supporters, that she had been selected as one of the winners of the 2024 United Way Community Builder awards.
Her citation speaks for itself:
With more than 25 years of dedicated volunteerism in our region, Suzette Small-Weekes infuses all her endeavours with creativity, passion and meticulous attention to detail. She has invested countless hours and unwavering commitment to many organizations: Black Women’s Civic Engagement Network, Jaku Konbit, St. Lucia Ottawa Association, to name a few of her long list of volunteer experience.
A pivotal figure in the success of the 2013 Vivante Fundriser for CHEO, suzette not only co-founded and chaired the event, but also stepped up to support strategic planning which included web marketing and data base creation. She recruited many stakeholders who provided financial support and services to the fund raiser, plus sponsors and silent aution items.
In 2021, under her leadership, the St. Vincent & Grenadines Association of Ottawa successfully organized various funding initiatives to support affected by the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano. navigating the challenges of the covid pandemic, Suzette pivoted from traditional in-person fund-raising to a special online version. She coordinated an online silent auction that garnered financial donations and valuable gift–in-kind items resulting in an impressive $28,000 to support victims of the volcano. Suzette’s commitment extends to her involvement with Black History Ottawa where she dedicated numerous volunteer hours of support. She also used her creativity to rebrand their awards, promotional flyers, plus leveraging her international relationships to help expand Black History Ottawa’s reach within Eastern Caribbean communities.
Whether managing registration tables, adapting fundraising strategies, or mobilizing sponsors and donors for vital community organization’s, Suzette remains a proactive volunteer who is consistently contributing to the betterment of our communities.
Let’s show Suzette some love and congratulations!
Suzanne’s fans record the award on their cell phones