The chosen theme for this year’s Older Persons Month is “Moving Towards Age Friendly Communities”.
The theme reflects the strategic objectives of the Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development, which has numerous initiatives underway to support a robust legal framework in support of older persons, and to advance strategic reforms. In addition to educational and social functions, the 2022 Calendar of Events has a variety of activities that are intended to foster public awareness and understanding of the issues that specifically affect older persons.
The Ministry has organised a series of events to celebrate Older Persons Month, Download the calendar below.
AMBASSADORS Three individuals have been chosen to represent Older Persons Month as its 2022 Ambassadors: Marguerita Bodden (Cayman Brac), Renford Barnes & Alice Jackson. Marguerita Bodden Marguerita Bodden was born in Spot Bay, Cayman Brac on April 2, 1948. She resides on Walton Drive in Spot Bay with her husband, Churchill Bodden of 53 years, and is the mother of 3 adult children.
Marguerita or “Nee Nee” as she is commonly known, is a local artisan who was taught the art of thatch plaiting and decorating by her husband.
While keeping our culture alive, she is frequently called on to demonstrate her work and knowledge of old-time tea parties, caboose cooking, gospel concerts, old-time fashion shows and demonstrations of medicinal plants.
She was presented in 2021 with a National Arts & Culture Award from the Cayman National Cultural Foundation for her work with medicinal plants which has been added to Cayman’s storehouse of traditional healing methods.
These traditional bushes used for teas and medicine are grown in her yard under the bluff and is shared with anyone in need of them, especially for common colds, backaches, diabetes, fever and loss of appetite.
She is concerned of her community and makes sure to do home visits to share fruits from her various fruit trees and eggs from her chickens, to the needy and seniors in the community. She is a member of the Sew-n-So Ladies Club who crotchets items to give to the residents of the Kirkconnell Community Care Center and patients at the Faith Hospital during Christmas.
The Sister Islands are incredibly blessed to have this very caring, talented and wise cultural hero in their midst, helping to keep specifically this aspect of our heritage alive.
Mrs. Bodden is a beloved member of her community and serves as a sterling example of Caymankind and Community Spirit. Renford Barnes Mr. Ashburn Renford Barnes – also known as Mr. Rennie – was born on 26 January 1949 in George Town, Grand Cayman, where he grew up. He attended the Cayman Islands Government Secondary School. He is married to his wife Mrs. Renee Ann Barnes for over thirty years and has three children.
After completing school he was a care taker for the Elmslie Church, he went on to work as a Messenger Boy at the Government House. He went to sea for about eight months. He later returned from sea and started working as a Bus Driver in 1967 with his father’s bus company, which he later inherited. He has worked in the transportation industry for over fifty years. Mr. Barnes enjoy playing dominoes but have a passion for cooking. He likes making local ice cream and other local dishes. He fondly recall playing football when he was younger and was the Chairman for the Cayman Islands Referee Association in the late 1980’s and also served the President for the Cayman Islands Dominoes Association for about six years.
Mr. Barnes has been volunteering his time and school buses for many years to several community clubs and groups across Grand Cayman. At the inception of the Lions Children’s Christmas Party, he volunteered his time and school buses for this event and continued to do so for over thirty (30) years. . He has been an avid supporter of the Rotary Club and has provided a bus for their ‘Stuff the Bus ’ campaign from 2017 to present, that provide school supplies for children. He also provides a bus for the Rotary Club’s annual Bike-a-thon.
Mr. Barnes enjoy playing dominoes but have a passion for cooking. He likes making local ice cream and other local dishes. He fondly recall playing football when he was younger and was the Chairman for the Cayman Islands Referee Association in the late 1980’s and also served the President for the Cayman Islands Dominoes Association for about six years.
Mr. Barnes has been volunteering his time and school buses for many years to several community clubs and groups across Grand Cayman. At the inception of the Lions Children’s Christmas Party, he volunteered his time and school buses for this event and continued to do so for over thirty (30) years. . He has been an avid supporter of the Rotary Club and has provided a bus for their ‘Stuff the Bus ’ campaign from 2017 to present, that provide school supplies for children. He also provides a bus for the Rotary Club’s annual Bike-a-thon.
Alice Jackson Ms. Alice Jackson’s motto is, “We were born to serve the Lord and do it willingly”. This is the reason why she loves serving the Lord and the public.
Ms. Alice Jackson was born on June 6, 1941. She grew up in Mt. Pleasant, West bay and attended the Town Hall Government School, then attended George Town Comprehensive School.
Ms. Alice is the only girl in the family. She says being the only girl is a great responsibility for her because she always wanted her parents and brothers to be proud of her.
During her early years her mother and grandmother always took her, on their visits to visit neighbors who are grieving and who are in need and to attend funerals. She believed that this exposure had greatly influenced her to have so much love for people. At the age of 11 she started a voluntary job. She told her mother that she wanted to do something for the people in their community so her mother got her a bicycle with 2 baskets and she started to picked up the shopping lists from the wives of the seaman’s and she would take the lists to their community store and then deliver the groceries right to their doorsteps for free.
Ms. Alice married at the age of 16 and has 1 child. Even after she got married her community involvement continued. She drove a taxi and provided rides to the people who needed a ride going in Town, or even Savannah and also she allowed her taxi to serve as a funeral car and ambulance when needed.
When her sister in law opened the Kay’s Fabric Store, she worked in that store for 20 years and provided the best customer service. Later in 1991 she got a job in Civil Service, at the Social Services Department now known as DCFS, where she worked for 17 years. While working in at DCFS she was assigned at Tent City for the Cuban refugees and in the Young Parents Program. After she stopped working, she used her time to visit older persons in her community and provided caregiving services to them whenever there was a need. She helped by cooking food and feeding them, bathing them, and took them to church and doctor’s appointment. She also had to help arrange some funeral services.
In 2021 Ms. Alice was awarded certificate of appreciation for having faithfully served as Teacher’s Aide of the Middle Class of the Sunday school during 2020 – 2021 by The Church of God in West Bay.
In 2012 The Wesleyan Holiness Church, West Bay, Grand Cayman Islands awarded her a plaque of being a distinguished Caymanian for being a good citizen with strong family values and leading an exemplary life in the Cayman Islands. This plaque also recognized and thanked her for her kindness, interest and invaluable service to the development of children in the community.