CMM Black-Tie Gala turned into hurricane relief for Jamaica

The New Jersey-based Caribbean Medical Mission’s (CMM) annual Black-Tie Gala on Sunday, Nov. 1, was transformed into a hurricane relief drive for Jamaica.

CMM Board Member Sharon Addison told Caribbean Life on Tuesday, Nov. 11, that while the event “unfolded in grand style” at The Grand, 38 Lackawanna Ave. in New Jersey, the gala’s “deeper humanitarian mission shone through — offering a powerful counterpoint to the evening’s festivities.

“The annual Black-Tie Gala transformed celebration into a rallying point as honorees and leadership called for intensified humanitarian support in Jamaica,” she said.

Addison said CMM President Dr. Donna Hutton-Cassie set the tone.

“We are all missionaries – those who get to participate in going to work in the mission, those who can fund the mission, and those who are able to offer other forms of support to the mission,” she said.

“Our mission is to provide the much-needed aid to the people of the Caribbean during this time of need,” Dr. Donna Hutton-Cassie added. “As Jamaica and others in the Caribbean recover from the devastation from Hurricane Melissa, let’s all be missionaries to help those in need.”

Veteran journalist and humanitarian Michael Watkis received the evening’s Community Service Award, using his acceptance speech not only to express appreciation but also to underscore responsibility.

“I had the profound honor of receiving the 2025 Community Service Award from the Caribbean Medical Mission,” he said. “I am incredibly grateful to the board, the committee, and the many mentors like Lynval James, partners, and family members who have walked this journey with me — from soccer fields and college campuses to newsrooms and nonprofit boardrooms — and beyond.”

     Watkis called for a coordinated Diaspora response to the Jamaica hurricane relief efforts.

“Let’s activate the collective strength of organizations like Caribbean Medical Mission, the many Jamaican Diaspora service organizations, and service-minded partners across the globe to respond to the island’s urgent healthcare and humanitarian needs,” he said.

“The road to recovery will be long, but together, we can help chart a path forward,” he added. “Let’s not just celebrate service; let’s multiply it.”

Honoree Dr. Montrae Calhoun Thomas, a respected pediatrician and humanitarian, offered a succinct but powerful expression of gratitude.

CMM’s mission manifests God’s gifts through their humanitarian work each year,” she said. “Thank you for this most precious honor.”