Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Chris Juredin voted  BVI’S CIBC FirstCaribbean Unsung Frontline hero

Chris Juredin voted BVI’S CIBC FirstCaribbean Unsung Frontline hero

Mr. Chris Juredin is the BVI’s recipient of the CIBC FirstCaribbean Unsung Frontline Hero award initiative for his extraordinary service to the community during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic back in March of this year.
The programme, designed by CIBC FirstCaribbean through its ComTrust Foundation to highlight the work of persons across the region at the forefront of the COVID-19 fight, has brought to the fore the stories of many of those whose deeds have gone virtually untold. Over 100 persons were nominated for awards in the 16 countries where the bank operates.

Mr. Juerdin’s name was submitted by Ms. Natasha Ruscheinski as a BVI nominee for the public campaign that the bank ran during the August / September period. The campaign, which was promoted via social and broadcast media including the ZBVI community bulletin board, sought to identify an individual who had gone above and beyond to serve the community and to publicly acknowledge and thank that person for the deeds that helped people pull through the initial desperate days when the pandemic was first announced. Public nominations were sought from the following categories of frontline workers: Medical personnel, The Protective Services and Community Heroes.

Ms. Ruscheinski, who runs PAW BVI, an animal non-profit in the BVI, documented Mr. Juredin’s acts. She explained that, in responding to her public plea on social media to consider buying extra dog/cat food for those who couldn’t afford to stock up for their pets, Mr. Juredin reacted swiftly by personally buying and delivering thousands of dollars’ worth of pet food, enabling PAW to do a big distribution prior to lockdown.

As the lockdown extended, Mr. Juredin reached out and asked if PAW needed more food. “By this stage, countless desperate pet owners had reached out to PAW to see if we had food for them, which we didn’t. Mr. Juredin stepped up yet again and purchased another huge amount of pet food and then helped distribute it door-to-door to those who were unable to afford to buy it themselves.”

“Although the food was for animals and not humans, so many families benefitted from it and were able to keep their pets fed during these difficult times, all thanks to Mr. Juredin. He purchased all the food himself and asked for nothing in return- when families did make donations, he gave it straight to PAW BVI for their vet bill,” said Ms. Ruscheinski.

Mr. Juredin was one of seven people nominated by the public and one of three semi-finalists submitted by the committee panel comprising external and internal judges for further voting by the public to help determine the ultimate Unsung Frontline Hero. The other two semi-finalists were Mr. Trevon Penn for his commitment to the public’s health and safety in his role in the Protective Services and Nurse Yahmega John for her dedication and exceptional care in the Medical Personnel category.

At a presentation in the banking hall after hours on Thursday, October 29, Mrs. Vernecia.Holder, Head of International Corporate Banking, awarded Mr. Juredin with a gift of a $2,000 e-cheque to be spent on a staycation of his choice and thanked him for his service. “Mr. Juredin – BVI’s CIBC FirstCaribbean Unsung Frontline Hero – on behalf of the bank and the Unsung Frontline Heroes committee, thank you for going above and beyond during those tumultuous and disruptive and disrupted times and for your selfless support of those in need and despair,” said Mrs. Holder.

Mr. Juredin, in accepting the award had wanted to offer the staycation up for auction to further benefit PAWS BVI but subsequently learned that the award is non-transferrable due to its intended purpose of acknowledging the unsung heroes of our communities for their deserving activity which went “above and beyond” and was done selflessly, at personal expense and risk and without expectation of acknowledgement or reward.

Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the FirstCaribbean International Comtrust Foundation, Colette Delaney, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has led, in many ways, to the re-emergence of the spirit of unity and caring that is an endearing feature of Caribbean people. “We are grateful for the contributions of these modern-day heroes, but we know that there are many more who may not have not been singled out but are just as important as they go about working quietly to create the pathways towards health and safety once again for all of us. We remain forever grateful to our first responders and community heroes for being sources of inspiration and for the good that they do that has made all the difference.”

Mrs. Holder thanked committee members, Mrs. Jean Vanterpool, Dr. Richard Georges and bank officers Mrs. Lena Stoutt-Frett and Ms. Sophia Hamilton for their assistance and the public for their participation in nominating and voting for their Unsung Frontline Hero.

The Unsung Frontline Heroes campaign was launched to identify those unsung frontline heroes who “had shone brightest in the darkest moments of the Covid-19 crisis”. The public was invited via social media platforms to submit their nominees during the month of August with the public online voting period ending on September 26. The finalists were selected based on meeting a set of judging criteria and the total number of public votes received.

CIBC FirstCaribbean has previously highlighted many hidden community treasures who have made a difference in the lives of persons they have helped or touched in some way through its flagship Unsung Heroes programme, which concluded in 2013.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
×