CIBC Caribbean celebrates 2025 Regional Unsung Heroes Lucinda “Mini” Smith of BVI named regional unsung hero for 2025

Lucinda “Mini” Smith, a tireless source of kindness and comfort in her community, has been named the CIBC Caribbean Regional Unsung Hero for 2025.

A distinguished regional judging panel on Monday October 6, 2025, unanimously selected Mrs. Smith as this year’s top award for her lifetime of care, compassion and kindness toward persons in her community of Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Mrs. Smith’s life has been dedicated to giving back to her community, volunteering not only her cooking but her service to provide lunch for families who are in need throughout the island, through the Road Town Adventist Church, a place where she worships.

She also provides meals and care at no cost for people in her community who face serious illnesses such as cancer. Her famous coconut bread is a must have every week as she distributes the delicious hot loaves free to many across her community.

Mrs. Smith, surrounded by her four daughters was showered with praise and presented with her award at a special awards ceremony held at Harrison’s Cave, in Barbados on October 18, 2025. The awardees, their families and other specially invited guests were also treated to a special tour of the cave.

Mrs. Smith along with first runner up, Venetta Zakers of St. Kitts and Nevis and second runner up, Joshuanette Francis of Antigua and Barbuda were celebrated for their selflessness and caring for others at the event.

Venetta is the founder and driving force behind Zakes Affinity Causes (ZAC), a non-profit, all volunteer organisation in St. Kitts and Nevis dedicated reaching, inspiring and empowering underserved individuals in her community.

Joshuanette Francis, described as a fearless and compassionate changemaker whose life and work embody extraordinary community service and resilience. Diagnosed with osteoarthritis at age 24 and projected to lose her mobility by 40, Joshuanette transformed her pain into purpose through the founding of Good Humans 268 Inc., a nonprofit committed to disability awareness, climate justice, and youth empowerment.

“We are here this evening to join in celebrating and honouring three truly deserving women who have made and continue to make a real and meaningful difference in their communities and countries. I say countries because I firmly believe that kindness is contagious and as they show kindness, love and compassion to the vulnerable it spreads, rippling across their respective communities, said Trustee of the CIBC Caribbean ComTrust Foundation and Associate Senior Counsel with CIBC Caribbean, Olivia Burnett.

She noted the bank was “truly heartened at the level of selflessness and service demonstrated by this year’s nominees and eventual national and regional awardees, across so many areas ranging from care for the environment, to working with at-risk youth and vulnerable women, to feeding the homeless and caring for the elderly and vulnerable.

The 39 nominees this year certainly confirm what we already knew deep in our hearts when we relaunched this programme in May this year – that there is a very strong culture of care and kindness in communities all across our Caribbean”.

The CIBC Caribbean Regional Unsung Heroes was relaunched in May this year after over a decade on hiatus, across the bank’s 10-member footprint. Its aim is to identify those people ages 10 and up, quietly working in their communities, making a difference in the lives of others.

People can also be nominated for extraordinary acts of kindness or bravery.