Staff Writer(SPRING VALLEY, NY—April 19, 2013) The Jamaican Civic and Cultural Association of Rockland, Inc. (JAMCCAR) will honor four outstanding women of the community: Patricia Annette Driskell-Simmons, Idette Flemings Earl, Rose Gabriel Leandre, and Suzanne Young-Mercer during its Mother’s Day Luncheon, on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at the Hilton Pearl River, 500 Veterans Memorial Drive in Pearl River, New York. The spring fundraising event will begin with a cocktail reception at 11:15 a.m., followed by a full lunch, a fashion show, raffle, music by Raddy B Disco, and entertainment by JAMCCAR’s Ekklipse steel band.
Tickets to the event must be purchased in advance ($65.00 per 2013 Dues-Paid JAMCCAR Member; $70.00 per guest; $35.00 each youth -18 years of age and under) and can be obtained by contacting the following: Dr. Clover Hall (917) 806-9375; Millicent Johnson-James (917) 562-6771 or JAMCCAR, Inc. at (845) 425-7327/[email protected]. All proceeds will go to JAMCCAR’s scholarship fund for deserving, college-bound high school graduates.
Dr. Clover Hall, a JAMCCAR Board Member at Large and Chairperson of the 2013 Mother’s Day Luncheon event said, “We are so pleased to turn the community spotlight on these four wonderful women at our annual salute to Mother’s Day. The JAMCCAR honorees are from varied backgrounds, but share common traits of commitment to community service, family, perseverance and dedication to excellence.”
The four dynamic honorees successfully juggle their multiple roles as professionals, wives, mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, and community leaders [Note to Editor: Full Bios of the honorees and Photos (in JPEG are attached]. Patricia Annette Driskell-Simmons, Principal of The Fleetwood Elementary School for the past twelve years, has been an outstanding Educator for over thirty years. Her community involvement include : Service on the Executive Board of the Spring Valley NAACP; Co-President of the East Ramapo Building Administrator’s Association; Treasurer and a Founding Member of the Rockland Alliance of Black School Educators, and participation in numerous community events.
Mrs. Idette Flemings Earl is a retired Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, who has been involved with many organizations in Rockland County. Her service includes: The First Baptist Church of Spring Valley’s Sanctuary Choir; Board of Directors for the West Street Child Care Learning Center of Spring Valley; Chair of Habitat for Humanity’s Family Selection Committee; Delivery Volunteer for Meals on Wheels; ERCSD’s Visions Program, and President of the Rockland County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She also served in an international capacity, and traveled to Egypt with a philanthropic group to hand deliver clothing, food, school supplies and other items to Nubians. Mrs. Idette Flemings Earl is the wife of Rockland County Legislator Toney Earl.
Ms. Rose Gabriel Leandre is the Director of Constituent and Support Services for the New York State Office of Assemblywoman Ellen C. Jaffee. She is also the Executive Director for HACSO Community Center (Haitian American Cultural and Social Organization, Inc.), where she works in partnerships with various organizations and government agencies to create equal access for immigrant families. Ms. Leandre worked as a Substance Abuse Counselor with Nyack Recovery Center for many years. A native of Haiti, who moved permanently to the United States in 1990 with her mother and two younger brothers for safety from political turmoil, Ms. Leandre is passionate about helping others.
Over the past six years, Suzanne Young-Mercer devoted her time to and played a significant role in supporting public school education and “mothering” the children of the East Ramapo School District during a very turbulent period on the School Board. She is currently in her first term as 1st Vice President on JAMCCAR’s Board of Directors. Her other community involvement include serving as Member at Large on the Board of the Spring Valley NAACP, Secretary of the Rockland County School Board Association, and she is a member of the American Association of University Women. Ms. Young-Mercer, a resident of Spring Valley for over 23 years, is currently employed as the Director of Front End Operations in the Emergency Department at Mount Sinai Hospital. She also worked in a variety of managerial positions at Beth Israel Medical Center and Columbia University.
Ms. Millicent Johnson-James, President of JAMCCAR said, “We hope members of the community will join us for this celebration which will be a wonderful time of good food, great fellowship and entertainment, and it’s all to benefit our youth.”
JAMCCAR, Inc. is a non-profit, community organization with a mission of fostering good relations with Jamaican-Americans and friends in the metropolitan area, with the purpose of promoting the civic, economic, and cultural aspects of the Jamaican, Caribbean, and Pan-African cultures.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sonia Tracey-McCallum 845-222-5973
Millicent Johnson-James: 917-562-6771
jamarch
