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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Mr. R.E. Barnes, chairman of the Sir Victor Sassoon (Bahamas) Heart Foundation (left), looks on as Mrs. Elma Garraway accepts the Lady Sassoon Golden Heart Award 2015. The award, annually given to someone who has given of themselves to help their fellow man, was presented to Mrs. Garraway this past weekend at the 52nd Annual Heart Ball held at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort.
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New Providence - The Bahamas - The fifty-second Annual Heart Ball was held this past weekend at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort. A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Lady Sassoon Golden Heart Award, which was presented to Mrs. Elma Garraway.
Chairman of the Sir Victor Sassoon (Bahamas) Heart Foundation, Mr. R.E. Barnes presented the Golden Heart Award to Mrs. Garraway. Mr. Barnes noted that the Golden Heart Award is given to someone who has given of themselves to help their fellow man. The nominations for the award are made by the public to recognize the role and the contributions that the winner has made in serving the public.
Mr. Barnes noted in his presentation that Mrs. Garraway had told him that one of her principles in life was that, “the destiny of a nation lies in the hands of those who guide its youth”. Mr. Barnes said Mrs. Garraway had certainly done that in her life.
Mrs. Garraway thanked Mr. Barnes and the Sassoon Heart Foundation for the recognition of the Golden Heart Award. She said her mother had told her that, “anything worth doing, was worth doing well and only the best is good enough.” She hoped she had lived up to that calling in her life.
Elma Garraway (Knowles) was born in Deadman’s Cay, Long island. She is the daughter of the late Charles R. Knowles and the former Ellen Rebecca (Newman) Knowles. Her mother was a teacher and instilled in her the desire for knowledge and what it could do for her daughter. She excelled in school and assisted as a student teacher at Buckley’s All Age School in Long Island.
With the opportunity to come to Nassau, she attended The Bahamas Teachers College where she obtained her Teacher’s Certificate ,endorsed by the University of the West Indies, with a distinction in History and Geography. That led her to return to Long Island to both teach and serve as principal of Salt Pond All Age School and later the Mangrove Bush All Age School.
Mrs Garraway returned to Nassau where she taught at Carmichael Primary School and then C.W. Sawyer Primary School. Throughout this period, she continued her education and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She then proceeded to obtain her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with honours. During this time, she made major contributions to the development of Primary Social Studies curriculum.
The next decade was spent at the College of the Bahamas (School of Education) where her mandate was to prepare many young adults for their careers in education. During this time, she helped to establish the Education Awareness Society, assisted with the writing of Social Studies and Tourism Education books for Grades one to six, and introduced the Teachers Cadet Corps in high schools.
Mrs. Garraway’s vast experience in education led her next to the Department of Education as Deputy Director of Education and she also served on the National Task Force on Education.
The next move in her career was to become Under Secretary of the Ministry of Education. This was followed by a transfer to the Cabinet Office where she was appointed to Chair the Recovery Sub-Committee for the reconstruction of the Bahamas in the wake of Hurricane Floyd. This office eventually became NEMA.
The next year saw her move to become the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, which was followed by the next post as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Public Service and Culture. She was then returned to the Ministry of Health and then once again to the Ministry of Education.
While doing all of the above, Mrs. Garraway remained committed to the Girl Guides, an organization she had been a member of when she lived in Long Island. From her time as a leader there to her continued involvement with Guiding in Nassau, she firmly believes in the principles and goals of the Girl Guides.
Former Golden Heart Award winner Miss Marjorie Davis, a former Chief Commissioner of Girl Guides states that, “Mrs. Garraway has always been ready and willing to take on any responsibility which would contribute to the advancement of Guiding. She has always been a great motivator and a trainer of leaders in Nassau and the Family Islands.”
Miss Davis went on to state. “Mrs. Garraway has worked zealously to promote Guiding in The Bahamas and has inspired thousands of girls and young women to aim for high standards, work towards excellence so as to build self esteem, to develop positive attitudes and to become contributing citizens both nationally and internationally.”
Mrs. Garraway has also become an active member of the Cancer Society of the Bahamas, Education Committee. Her fellow Committee members testify to her hard work to further the mission of the Education Committee of the Cancer Society of the Bahamas. She has become a tireless worker for the Committee and always is there for the cause of the Education Committee.
Mrs. Garraway is a devout Catholic and she has been the Chairman of her Parish Counsel where she has been on the fund raising committee and also served with the Catholic Board of Education. She was honoured by Pope John Paul II who bestowed the Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice Medal on her for her service to the church and to the nation in the field of education.
Mrs. Garraway is married to retired surveyor Robert Anthony Garraway. They have three children, Robert Anthony II, Antonia Garraway Benjamin and Annamaria Garraway. The Garraway’s have five grandchildren.
Heart Foundation Chairman R.E. Barnes said it is clear that Mrs. Elma Garraway has lived up to her guiding principles and she has shown that she is clearly a most deserving recipient of this year’s Golden Heart Award.
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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