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Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Community Service Award Winners

Idalia "Dolly" Dockery travels around the globe with her students. She’s taken them to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, down the halls of the Louvre, past the facades of the Sagrada Família church in Barcelona, and around the statutes outside the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. Her commitment to her craft and her students is unquestioned throughout the community. But that’s not the case in her own household. Even if it’s in jest.

"My children ask me do I love (the students) more than I love them," said Dockery, a French teacher at Charlotte Amalie High School. "I say no. But I tell them, ‘Everything I couldn’t give you I give to them.’ This is my opportunity to give back. And I’m not stopping until my 2-year-old grandson graduates and sees the world."

Dockery’s globetrotting exploits will be highlighted by the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce on Saturday along with four other individuals at the annual Wilbur "Bill" LaMotta Community Service Awards Banquet. The award is presented to residents based on their integrity and the impact their achievement has on the Virgin Islands. The event starts at 7 p.m. at St. Peter Greathouse. Tickets are $125 per person.

Five award-winners will be honored Saturday. The honorees are Cornel A. Williams, president of International Capital & Management; Lena Steele Williams, director of Central Office Engineering for Innovative Companies; Sharon-Ann McCollum; principal of Ivanna Eudora Kean High School; and Michael Akin, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands. Innovative Companies will also be honored.

McCollum was informed of her selection by First Lady Cecile deJongh. McCollum said she credits her students, faculty and faith for the achievement.

"I’m not doing anything special. I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do," she said. "I have a fantastic staff. I work with a phenomenal group of people.”

The St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce established the Community Service Award in 1983 to honor businessman and former chamber president, Wilbur "Bill" LaMotta, said Joseph Aubain, executive director of the chamber.

LaMotta was a civic leader, composer and former Small Businessman of the Year, an award that celebrates significant contributions to the Virgin Islands by public officials, nonprofits and the individuals from the private sector.

McCollum and the other four award-winners were selected by the chamber’s board of directors, Aubain said. The board researched candidates for months before selections are made. Categories are given for private citizens and public officials. The board added awards for nonprofits and design excellence or community economic investment in 1999. The criteria for the awards are based on an individual’s dedication, sincerity and ethical behavior.

Aubain notified Akin about his award about a month ago. Akin’s work with Catholic Charities is well-known in the community. Akin partnered last year with deJongh and several local medical professionals to provide free health care services for the homeless at Bethlehem House. Catholic Charities recently started construction of new housing facilities in Christiansted for the homeless, Akin said.

The bulk of the Catholic Charities work includes providing housing and health care for the homeless, soup kitchens and assisting the elderly and children with developmental disabilities.

The Catholic Charities recently received $800,000 in federal grants to expand their soup kitchen services and housing facilities on St. Croix, Akin said. The new facilities will include 10 apartments. A similar project for permanent housing for the chronically homeless on St. Thomas is still in the contract negotiation stage.

"The impact of homelessness on the community can’t be overstated," Akin said. "It’s important work. I’m glad it was recognized by the community.”

“In many ways, I have the easiest job,” he said. “I’m an administrator. The outreach workers do the difficult work. And it certainly is tough work. But they deserve the recognition."

It will be a special night for the Williams household. Both husband and wife are schedule to win awards Saturday. That’s two. Three if you include the award for Innovative Companies, which employs Lena Williams.

"I’m just humbled to be nominated with such a great group of people, such good corporate citizens," said Cornel Williams. "One of the reasons this is so special is because I get to share this honor with my wife."

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