Brampton’s United Achievers’ Club Elects New President

By Michael L. Van Cooten
Publisher & Editor

BRAMPTON, Ontario (Monday, June 27, 2022) — Joyce Temple-Smith was elected as President of the United Achievers’ Club (UAC), at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), held June 18, for a two-year term, effective immediately.

For the past two terms, Temple-Smith served as the Club’s Vice-president, on the Board of UAC’s Non-Profit Housing Corporation, and was actively involved in the organisation’s Parents Reaching Out (PRO) provincial grants program in 2018.

Temple-Smith is a retired Executive Director of the Malton Neighbourhood Services, a multi-service agency, where she worked for 23 years.

“I’m happy, and humbled, to take on the role of president of the United Achievers’ Club, and I also realize I have large shoes to fill — (those) of our hard-working former president, Ms. Marva Hemmings,” the new president told Pride News Magazine in an email.

In a media release, the UAC expressed confidence in the election of President Temple-Smith: “We look forward to the effective leadership skills she will be bringing to the position; and Club members look forward to working with, and alongside, her as the Club continues to serve the community in the coming years.”

In addition to her volunteer service with the UAC, Temple-Smith continues to be actively involved in the community with varied involvement on committees and with other organizations, including: the Multicultural Inter-Agency Group of Peel (MIAG), as a mentor; an active volunteer with RESQ Youth Int’l; and with the Bramalea Community Health Centre, as part of their COVID-19 mask initiative.

Responding to a question about her intended plans for the UAC, in her new role as its Head, she said:”We all know these are challenging times. Some of the obvious challenges are: putting putting food on the table, gas in our car, addressing racism and trying to bounce back from the pandemic. My vision is that we can continue to connect with the community and be seen as a unifying force.”

“We will provide access to information about community resources, especially those that address the needs of the Black and Caribbean community. We will continue to give people the tools to successfully address some of the current challenges. I strongly believe that there is strength in numbers,” she added.

Additional Board Members elected at the AGM, for two-year terms (2022–2024), were: Lucinda Sloley (Trustee-Communication); Doreen Manning (Fundraising Officer); and Carol Thompson (Secretary). Hemmings, the immediate Past President, will serve in the capacity of Membership Officer for a one-year period — from 2022 to 2023.

The Brampton-based UAC was established 1980 and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1987. Its aims and objectives include: raising the profile and consciousness of Black and Caribbean communities in the wider society; providing effective, and meaningful, role models for our youth; encouraging greater participation in community and political affairs; providing resources for adaptation and integration of the Black and Caribbean cultures into the wider community; and linking with existing community services to provide educational resources.

With a vision that proclaims “Serving Our Community With Pride And Dignity Since 1980”, the UAC extends a membership welcome mat to “anyone, who shares our goals and objectives”.

For more information on the UAC, contact the organisation at: website — www.unitedachieversclub.com; email — unitedachieversclubbrampton@gmail.com; or by phone at 905-796-1916.