Eighty-five candy stripers were honoured at the annual candy striper award ceremony held on Saturday night.

The Hospitals Auxiliary of Bermuda (HAB) presented the youth volunteers with a stripe, pin or certificate at the ceremony held at the Queen Elizabeth nurses' residence.

Candy stripers, who comprise one third of the HAB's workforce at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, received stripes to indicate the number of hours given in service over the past year. Volunteered hours ranged from 75 to 600.

Stripers who worked a minimum of 150 hours also received a pin and those leaving the programme were given a certificate recognising their contribution at the hospital meeting the same responsibilities as adult HAB members on wards assisting patients and in areas such as the Pink Cafe and Gift Shop, Intensive Care Unit, and Agape House. During the ceremony, new leaders were appointed for next year.

Attiya Talbot was named head striper, a supervisory role given to a fourth year striper who has shown sufficient leadership skill. Two other fourth years, Latoya Ible and Michelle Albouy-Weldon, were made deputy head stripers.

Third year stripers Nicola Arnold, Tenik Burgess, Erin Ingemann, Veronica Madeiros, BJ Millet, Deshae Sampson-Smith and Stephanie Wilson became senior leaders and they will act in a supervisory, mentoring and training role.

The HAB also awarded two $5,000 scholarships to Heloisa Carreiro and Anta-nae Butterfield based on their academic ability and consistent volunteer work.