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The 25th Annual Kelly\u2019s Bride of the Year competition celebrated love and gracious living with a lavish luncheon and $15,000 in prizes for their Brides of the Month for 2016 and many former Brides of the Year attending. Awed participants won gifts ranging from a Caribbean cruise for two or a 3-day stay at the British Colonial Hilton, to sparkling Waterford Crystal, a Singer Sewing Co. Heavy Duty Sewing Machine or Char-Broil Hybrid 3B Grill,\u00a0 and many more, \u201call with love from Kelly\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cAwesome!\u201d exclaimed the historic 25th Anniversary Kelly\u2019s Bride of the Year, Mrs. Ericka Darr-Munroe, an attorney married to self-employed boat captain Roosevelt Munroe. \u201cMake your husband your best friend,\u201d she advises brides. Married in May, Ericka is a praise and worship leader at her church and enjoys counseling, singing, travelling and assisting with church activities. She said she is excited to be the 25th Bride of the Year and hopes to make a difference in the community.<\/p>\n
In a ballroom draped in white orchids, Kelly\u2019s House and Home President Nancy Kelly shared memories of her \u201c47 years of happy marriage\u201d to the late David Kelly. She honoured the Silver Anniversary of the occasion with a solid silver punch ladle from her own collection as a treasured raffle prize. She thanked\u00a0 the \u201ccommitted judges and bridal consultants who make the Bride of the Year and the Bridal Department such a success.\u201d She pointed out \u201cWhen\u00a0 my friend Sara Parker and I came up with this idea, we were looking for a different way to honour our Kelly\u2019s Brides. We never dreamed Kelly\u2019s Bride of the Year would still be going strong 25 years later. It\u2019s a wonderful highlight for our 90th Anniversary as a retail store. \u201d<\/p>\n
Sara Parker–co-creator of the event as Kelly\u2019s Account Executive with P. S. Advertising, now a realtor and TV producer–says \u201cThat\u2019s 300 Brides of the Month so far, in the 25th year of the Bride of the Year promotion! Celebrating 90 years, all with love from Kelly\u2019s!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first year is really all about \u2018getting to know you.\u2019 Learning to share is the most important thing, \u201d Mrs. Kelly advised the Brides of the Month and their husbands, gathered with Kelly\u2019s House and Home staff at the British Colonial Hilton, Bay St. \u201cEach Bride of the Month is a woman who is making positive contributions to our community. Keep up your good deeds and together, we can build a better Bahamas.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bride of the Year receives a $1,000 gift certificate from Kelly\u2019s House and Home plus hundreds of dollars in prizes including: Gibson Overseas \u2013 46 pc Dinnerware Set\/Eventide White; Lenox –\u00a0 65 pc Portola Stainless Steel 18\/10 Flatware Set; Applica\/Black & Decker\u00a0 – Toaster Oven, 2-slice digital Toaster and 8-cup Food Processor; National Presto – GranPappy Deep Fryer,\u00a0 Foldaway Griddle and\u00a0 Poplite Popcorn Maker; Sunbeam –\u00a0 Hand Mixer; ShopVac Corp. –\u00a0 Wet\/Dry 10-Gallon Utility Vac; Pottery Express \u2013 Planter Pots set\/3; Wilton Enterprises –\u00a0 Bake & Coat Pan\/Rack Set , 6-Cavity Cookie Shot Glass Pan, Aluminum Air Insulated Cookie Sheets set\/2 , 12-Cup Mini Muffin Pan.
\nRUNNER – UP<\/p>\n
Runner-up for the coveted Kelly\u2019s Bride of the Year title is 4th grade teacher Linda Paul-Pascal. She and her husband, Gibson, own a cleaning company. They also run a kids\u2019 club youth camp for the 3 to 12 year old children of their church and community and assist with two summer youth camps.<\/p>\n
The Runner-Up received: a $250 Gift Card from Kelly\u2019s House and Home; Gibson Overseas \u2013 30 pc Dinnerware Set\/Hagen Square White; Gibson Overseas \u2013 Gracious Dining 3pc Oval Serving Bowl Set; Applica\/Black & Decker \u2013 Die Cast Blender; National Presto \u2013 Belgian Waffle Maker; Sunbeam Oster \u2013 4 Slice Toaster Oven and a Sunbeam Oster \u2013 2 Slice Toaster ; Diamond Star Corp. \u2013 Glass Bowl; Pottery Express \u2013 Planter Pots set\/3; Wilton Enterprises \u2013 Aluminum Air Insulated Cookie Sheet set\/2\u00a0 and\u00a0 a\u00a0 12-Cup Mini Muffin Pan.<\/p>\n
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BRIDES OF THE MONTH 2016<\/p>\n
Judges agreed, this year\u2019s competition was even closer than usual.<\/p>\n
Kelly\u2019s 2016 Brides of the Month (and husbands) are:<\/p>\n
February–Terea Pyfrom-Knowles a senior BTC manager\u00a0 and husband Kerio Knowles, also of BTC;<\/p>\n
March–Juliann Cumberbatch-Rolle, Atlantis auditor, married to Delton Rolle, a Director of Arts at LIFE Worship Centre;<\/p>\n
April–Lasheka Smith-Stubbs, Dept. Of Lands and Surveys, married to Antonne Stubbs, Bahamas Experience Tour Company;<\/p>\n
May–Bride of the Year Erica Darr-Munroe, Attorney, married to Roosevelt Munroe, Boat Captain;<\/p>\n
June–Georgina Clarke-Woods, sales assistant, married to Anthony Woods, Bahamas Waste Ltd.;<\/p>\n
July–Alaxi Moss-Green, Patient Care AssistantSandilands Rehabilitation Centre and husband Anton Green, self employed;<\/p>\n
August–Runner Up Linda Paul-Pascal, teacher, and husband Gibson Pascal, Cleaning Company owner;<\/p>\n
Sept.–Teynarae Newbold-Rolle, food and beverage Manager at Valentine\u2019s Resort on Harbour Island and husband Henry Rolle, hotel industry employee;<\/p>\n
Oct.–Alex McCartney-Wallace, Acounts Clerk at Super Value, and husband Kevon Wallace, Vandoff Construction;<\/p>\n
Nov.–Threnelle Armbrister-Larance, RBPF detective, married to Wilneer Lafrance, contractor and owner of Maintenance World;<\/p>\n
Dec.–Raymondessia Russell-Neely, statistician and economist with the Department of Statistics, married to Customs Officer Pete Neely.<\/p>\n
FORMER BRIDES OF THE YEAR<\/p>\n
Former Brides of the Years attending the glamourous event included 2009 Bride of the Year Samantha Carter-Cartwright who felt \u201chonoured and extremely excited to be invited back in the capacity of judge.\u201d Mrs. Cartwright works with her husband Michaelangelo, at the Ministry of Tourism.<\/p>\n
Both are members of Toastmasters International. Samantha was Miss Bahamas Universe in 2006 and a finalist in the Miss Intercontinental Beauty Pageant. She is a motivational speaker, a youth director and trainer for public speaking, and is the mother of two daughters.<\/p>\n
Other Former Brides of the Year in attendance were:<\/p>\n
2001 Bride of the Year– Dr. Yasmin Robinson, a family medicine physician, married to Marc, an accountant, proud parents of two daughters.<\/p>\n
2004 Bride of the Year–Myriam Stapledon, an executive Administrator at The Mail Boat.Her husband Brian is a data collector at FCIB. She assists with coaching at Star Trackers Club and Brian is a Karate instructor.They have a daughter.<\/p>\n
2005 Bride of the Year–Celina Thompson and husband, Ian, are both bankers. She works at Perpetual Asset Management and he works at Bank of The Bahamas. They both enjoy global travel and fishing in The Bahamas.<\/p>\n
2006 Bride of the Year– Monique Sands is an accountant at the Securities Commission and her husband, Adrian, is a manager at the Gaming Board.\u00a0 She is a member of Toastmasters and the Zonta CLub.\u00a0 They have one daughter.<\/p>\n
2014\u00a0 Bride of the Year–Erin Brown. Also known as \u201cBionic Brown,\u201d Mrs Erin Brown is a 13-year survivor of bone cancer, training for the next Paralympics.\u00a0 An above the knee amputee, she founded Erin BrownConnects, providing training and equipment for the physically disabled to play active sports.She and husband Tametryo have two children.<\/p>\n
2015 Bride of the Year Mrs. Johnette Morris is Kelly\u2019s retiring Bride of the Year.She teaches Biology and Health Science at at C.R. Walker Sr. High School.\u00a0 Husband Lavardo works in the Atlantis Food and Beverage Department. The couple is involved in the non profit \u201cBig Harvest Community Sunday School and Christian Training Center\u201d in Woods Alley off Market St. They are new parents to baby Laniya.<\/p>\n
“Each Bride of the Month receives a Kelly’s House and Home gift card for $250 \u00a0and hundred’s of dollars in various top brand products sold by Kelly’s,” says Bridal Department Buyer Karen Darville, who is instrumental in organising the event each year. All the Brides of the Month and Brides of The Year attending the 25th Anniverary Celebration also received the Sterilite Expresso Weave 3-drawer Cart and Expreso Weave 17-Gallon Tote with Lid, donated by D. Ben Toby Co. and Sterilite, plus a Godinger \u201cShannon\u201d Crystal Clock.<\/p>\n
The $15,000 treasure trove of prizes awarded at the event included: A Caribbean Cruise; 3days\/2 nights at the British Colonial Hilton; 9 sets of Waterford Crystal \u201cHarper\u201d glasses and a Waterford \u201cPheonix\u201d 11 in. Vase; a Char-broil Hybrid 3B Grill; Stanley National 120 pc Mechanics Tool Set; Black & Decker\/DeWalt 20 Volt Impact Drill and Battery;\u00a0 a \u201cLinen Bundle\u201d from Kashi Enterprises 1000 ct. Queen sheet set and Cobra Trading bath linens; a Group Seb\/T-Fal \u201cElegance\u201d 10pc. Stainless Steel Pot Set and Group Seb\/Mirro 6 qt. Pressure Cooker; a Singer Sewing Co. Heavy Dutty Sewing Machine; Yamazaki Bolo 42 piece Stainless Steel Flatware Set\u00a0 and serving pieces; C&F Enterprises 3 pc. Queen Quilt Set;\u00a0 2 Stylecraft 3 pc. lamp sets; Ramallah Trading King Comforter Set; Sandy Toes Beach & Snorkelling Day trip including\u00a0 welcome drink and buffet lunch; Dinner for 2 at Crusoe\u2019s Restaurant, Comfort Suites; 3 Wilton Enterprises Baking Bundles including assorted pie pans, muffin pans, cooling grids , and silicone baking mats.<\/p>\n
Kelly\u2019s Store Manager Rochelle Hudson points out,\u201dIt is so easy to enter our Bride of the Month and Bride of the Year competition.\u00a0 Simply come to Kelly\u2019s House and Home Bridal Department in the Mall at Marathon and register your choices of fine china and crystal.\u00a0 It\u2019s that easy. Of course, you also can register all your bridal choices, right down to a BBQ grill for the bridegroom. Our well trained bridal consultants will help you find exactly what you want from our wide variety of products.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Kelly emphasized, \u201cI want to thank our Judges who each year select brides who keep our bridal commitment strong. To our Brides of the Year, you are all winners. I wish you all success in your life and with your dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kelly\u2019s House and Home judges for the 2016 Bride of the Year Competition were:
\nVincent Vaughan and Nelson George, who have served as judges for all 25 years and Guest Judge, 2009 Bride of the Year Samantha Carter-Cartwright, Miss Bahamas Universe 2006, of the Ministry of Tourism.<\/p>\n
Kelly\u2019s Human Resources Manager Judith Adderley served as MC for the stylish event held at the British Colonial Hilton, Nassau and staged like a society wedding with white orchids and complete with Steel Drummer Sammy “Sambo” Mackey.<\/p>\n
She noted, \u201cAll of our couples registered at Kelly\u2019s for their own special reasons but most of them cited the excellent customer service given by our bridal consultants and the wide variety of quality merchandise that is affordably priced…One of our brides said that she has memories of being a little girl walking through our bridal aisles and desiring to take EVERYTHING home with her!\u201d<\/p>\n
By P.S. News\/Features<\/p>\n
Captions:
\n25th Anniversary CROWNING MOMENT–Kelly’s 24th Annual Bride of the Year (2015-16)\u00a0Johnette Ferguson Morris,\u00a0a dedicated science teacher at CR Walker,\u00a0passed her crown to Kelly\u2019s 25th Bride of the Year (2016-17)\u00a0Mrs. Ericka Darr-Munroe\u00a0(right) an attorney . Photo by Vincent Vaughan Photography.<\/p>\n
25th ANNIVERSARY ROYALTY–Kelly’s House and Home President Mrs. Nancy Kelly ( left) congratulates the store’s 25h Annual Bride of the Year\u00a0Attorney Ericka Darr-Munroe.\u00a0Photo by Vincent Vaughan Photography<\/p>\n
25th Anniversary WELCOME–Kelly’s House and Home executives and consultants welcome Kelly’s 2016 Brides of the Month and their Bridegrooms during \u00a0the lavish 25th Bride of the Year Luncheon at the British Colonial Hilton. In the 25 years of the popular promotion, 299 Brides of the Month have been honoured. (In only one month, no one registered.) \u00a0Front and centre are MC Judith Adderley, President Nancy Kelly and CEO Greg Kelly.\u00a0\u00a0Photo by Vincent Vaughan Photography<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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