Since the exodus of expatriate workers a few years ago the Bermuda Junior Service League (BJSL) charity has been a little quieter.

Volunteer numbers have dropped significantly while the need in the community has only increased.

Amy Adderley, BJSL Treasurer, is part of the contingent of remaining volunteers who are determined to see the charity through to better days in Bermuda.

She was recently awarded the CableVision Salute to Service Award for volunteer work along with several other ladies, at a gala banquet held at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel.

“I joined a couple of years after we moved to the island and I have been with them ever since,” she said. “It has changed so much over the last ten years. I almost reluctantly stepped into the treasury position because there is no one else to do it.

“There is a core group of five or six of us who are just trying to keep everything afloat with the hopes that if the economy turns around or there is more business on the island the third sector of volunteers will come back. The non-working spouse of an expatriate worker who used to give so much time to Bermuda just isn’t here anymore.”

She said the BJSL is always looking for new members. It has been a challenge keeping some of their core projects going, but they are managing.

“When I first started we would have our meetings in the homes of members and there were a lot of stay-at-home mothers,” Mrs Adderley said. “Now it has shifted. Everyone who is a member works and has kids. We meet in offices rather than in people’s houses. I think the challenge right now is keeping it going because there is much need and fewer volunteers to meet that need.”

One of their biggest projects is sponsoring an annual student debate in conjunction with the Bermuda Debate Society. BJSL provides the venue and food and anything else that is needed. They also have another programme called ‘Stuff the Bus’ that provides every entering primary one government school student with a pencil case and school supplies like pencils and glue.

“We receive some sponsorship for that,” she said. “Fidelity International has come on board to help with that, packing the pencil cases and putting everything together. We have relied on businesses that can give donations but also manpower.”

She said it is extremely gratifying to receive notes of thanks from parents and teachers. Recently, the BJSL received a beautiful card with a photo of a class of children with their new pencil cases and supplies. The volunteers found the card very gratifying.

They also provide gift bags to people in the hospital system at Christmas, and scholarships to young people going off to university.

“The focus is not just on academics but also financial need,” Mrs Adderley said. “So it is a balanced need. We also make sure those who get the scholarship have a goal of coming back to Bermuda to apply their skills and give back to the community.”

Mrs Adderley is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. She came to Bermuda in 2001 to work as an accountant. She worked at a number of companies in the audit field, but now works at Coldwell Banker, Bermuda Realty as a Controller.

“One of the things I like about Coldwell Banker is their support for the charity work I do,” she said. “If they didn’t support me it would be hard to continue.”

She is married to Henry Adderley and they have two young children.

“It is hard to find the time to volunteer, sometimes,” she admitted. “The award I received came as quite a surprise and was very humbling. It comes with feelings of ‘why me’. I don’t feel I have done anything exceptional to receive the recognition I got.

“I suppose that part of it is I have continued to commit my time to do things on a volunteer basis whether it is the BJSL, or the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club. I am on the committee of management which is a volunteer position. You get as much as you give in that regard. That is why I have continued.”

To contact the BJSL telephone 332-2575 or e-mail bjsl@northrock.bm.