‘You can’t just live for yourself’ - 88-y-o Merle Stern awarded for decades of community service

At 88, Merle Stern has little interest in measuring her life by the accolades she has racked up. For the retired justice of the peace, the greater reward has been the opportunity to help people through their difficulties, restore relationships, and ensure that the needs of the vulnerable are not overlooked.

For more than three decades, the Crooked River, Clarendon, resident has been a fixture in community life, earning the trust of residents through her work in the justice system, her advocacy for restorative justice, and her commitment to helping those who might otherwise struggle to navigate official processes.

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Her contribution was recognised on Monday when she was among the recipients honoured at the National Heroes Day Salute Parade and Awards Ceremony, a collaboration between the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission and the Clarendon Municipal Corporation. Stern was the oldest award recipient.