Celebrating the philanthropic work of individual and corporate do-gooders, the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) of Jamaica ushered in its fifth annual Business and Civic Leadership Awards for Excellence ceremony last Thursday evening at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

The awards banquet bristled with palpable excitement, possibly enhanced by the cocktail hour and free-flowing libations at the Johnnie Walker-branded lounge bar.

An edited version of remarks offered by Jamaica's ambassador to the United States, Stephen Vasciannie, at a function hosted by the Good Shepherd Foundation in Washington, DC, on July 20, 2014.

...I wish to congratulate the Good Shepherd Foundation and the Partners of the Good Shepherd Jamaica on the work you are doing to assist the poor and needy, and for the serious contributions you are making to the lives and welfare of others. This is a matter of the first importance.

There is a pronounced tendency to individualism in modern societies: individualism has some virtues, for it requires each person to push him or herself to greater heights of achievement. Parents know this, and that is why we pull out the hair we have left in trying to have our children succeed academically on their own steam.

But individualism can cause some members of society to be left behind. And individualism is sometimes unsympathetic to the vulnerable, the aged, the infirm, the person in trouble with the law. In this context, it is important for us all to remember the overriding power of community spirit.

So, today, I lift my metaphorical hat to the Good Shepherd Foundation and the Partners of Good Shepherd, Jamaica, for giving life and force to community spirit. Jamaica — and in particular Western Jamaica — is a better place because of you.

Western Bureau:THE Good Shepherd Foundation (GSF), one of Jamaica's most respected charitable organisations, is calling on corporate Jamaica and individuals to share their blessings in this festive season.

The GSF, headquartered in Montego Bay, is supported entirely through donations and, as a consequence, is always in need of financial support.

The organisation, which is seeking to address the needs of the less fortunate primarily in the areas of health care and education, was founded 12 years ago by former Roman Catholic bishop of Montego Bay, Charles H. Dufour, who is now the archbishop of Kingston and the person overseeing the Roman Catholic religious activities locally and in other sections of the English-speaking Caribbean.