Elevating Lives Foundation will be embarking on an initiative at the end of this year to help bring about positive change in the community. The initiative entitled “The Purpose Weekend” is a two-day event, set for December 9-10. It will feature an international speaker who will help St. Maarten residents “identify their purpose and maximise their talents.”
The first day will be a networking event themed “Creating Something Bigger than Yourself.” Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from an international speaker, have their questions asked and get a chance to network.
On December 10, a fundraising gala dinner will be held. Funds raised will go towards the foundation’s scholarship programme, annual career expo and mentorship programme. The foundation has teamed up with “some of the island’s best” to offer “an unforgettable experience” at this event.
The foundation said the community faces high unemployment, crimes, inadequate healthcare and a lack of innovation. “These challenges are not due to too many problems, but rather too few problem-solvers. As a country, we have failed to maximize our most important resource – the people of St. Maarten. As a result, we have yet to see our unique island at its best,” said Foundation President Melchizedek Carbon.
“I believe the Purpose Weekend is going to be the beginning of a great transformation for the island of St. Maarten. Followers will become leaders and leaders will become agents of change,” Carbon added.
The foundation said it believes that the first step towards our island’s greatness begins by helping our people recognise their potential. The event is tailored to helping young leaders create solutions to some of the island’s basic problems. The foundation is seeking sponsorship to help offset expenses that will be incurred from holding this event.
About Elevating Lives
Elevating Lives Foundation is a non-profit organisation, whose goal is to use its projects as a new paradigm for developing the people of St. Maarten. The foundation said it is committed to business enhancement, community rebuilding, educational development, family re-construction and spiritual growth.
Its mission is to become a leading developer of problem solvers and leaders. Using its portfolio of development projects, it seeks to maximise human capital; by empowering and helping young leaders realise their purpose in life.
In the summer of 2014, Elevating Lives began as a scholarship fund. The initial intentions were to just provide financial assistance to students that pursed higher education internationally. Shortly after, the scholarship fund was transformed into a development organisation. Today, the foundation said it is dedicated to travelling the journey of purpose with individuals from their teenage years up to young adulthood. The goal is to create a culture of excellence and use its platform to connect young leaders who are passionate about making a change in today’s “dynamic society.”
Projects held by the foundation include its Scholarship Fund (2014); Career Fair (2015); Purpose Weekend (December 2016) and Mentorship Programme (2016/Pilot).
The foundation said too many individuals are not used for their highest and best use, but rather for what they are simply good at. This is what led the foundation to develop its Purpose Weekend.
President
Melchizedek Carbon is president and co-founder of Elevating Lives. From the foundation’s launch in 2014 to present, Carbon has led a team of 12 individuals, coordinated career expos and developed a scholarship fund that has helped four recipients to date.
From young, Carbon has always purposed within himself to provide solutions to everyday problems in his society of St. Maarten. For this reason, in 2012, he pursued a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a minor in Business at Florida A&M University.
He wanted to become better equipped with the social and technical skills needed to make a change in the community. He recently graduated summa cum laude from Florida A&M University’s profound School of Business and Industry (SBI) and was the recipient of the highest GPA in Economics with a minor in business award.
In his role as president, Carbon provides an overall strategic direction for the foundation. In his opinion, although Elevating Lives is a non-profit by name, he prompts the team to consider the organisation as an “innovative, corporate start-up that will one day maximise the full potential of young individuals on the island.” His attitude of determination and fearlessness is reflected in his favourite quote, “Anything in life worth doing is worth over doing.”
In addition to serving as president, Carbon’s free time is often spent helping individuals. In college, he served as the Chief Education Officer for the school’s economic club, where he would tutor freshmen and sophomores on a weekly basis. He also served as a team leader for Orator’s Inc. – a professional club that prepares students for scholastic debates – and was an active member in SBI’s Chief Financiers Organization. When he is not busy helping the community, you can oftentimes find him playing basketball – a game he has loved since childhood.
Vice President
Elevating Lives Vice President is Catherina Carbon, a St. Maarten-born woman who grew up in Cay Bay. She is the older sibling of Carbon. Catherina graduated from St. Maarten Academy in December 2006 and received the Crystal Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement.
Upon graduation, she was employed at Diamond Resorts Flamingo Beach as Resort as Coordinator. While working at the resort, she enrolled at the University of St. Martin where she had the opportunity to serve as Head Senator of Charity Committee for the Student Government Association. She also joined the university’s step team as well as ambassadors.
Catherina graduated in Spring of 2009 with her Associates in Accounting and received the highest GPA award. She then transferred to the University of South Florida (USF) where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in Fall of 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. During her time at USF, she was a member of the Total Praise Gospel Dance Group, Caribbean Culture Exchange, and USF gospel choir.
In the Spring of 2014, Catherina graduated from the University of Tampa with a Master’s in Business Administration. During her time there, she was a member of Studio 28 Dance Company and also volunteered with Embracing Legacy Inc., a non-profit organisation that seeks to mentor youth through various platforms. She returned to island in the fall of 2015 and is currently employed at a leading accounting firm. She is passionate about dance and currently serves as dance leader over the praise dance team at her church. She enjoys the beach, music, jet skiing, reading, meeting new people and basketball. Catherina believes that the change we want to see must first begin in each individual and thus she strives to be a great role model for the next generation.
Elevating Lives’ Secretary is Simon Jeffrey, a Property Manager at J & H Development NV; Treasurer is Joanne de Vries, a St Maarten Medical Centre Medical/Surgical department staffer; Marketing Director is Akisch Lenus, an Entrepreneur/Business Consultant who specialises in Brand Development and Marketing and is an alumnus of the Johnson and Wales University; and advisors are Patricia Davis, Jules James and Aggie James-Reid.
Speaker
Myles Munroe Jr.
One of the persons lined up to speak at the Purpose Weekend is Myles Munroe Jr. In November 2014, Munroe Jr. was thrust into the spotlight after the sudden passing of his parents, international leaders, Dr. Myles and Ruth Munroe. Prior to 2014, Munroe Jr. served as Managing Director of Myles Munroe International, where he partnered with his father in the oversight of daily operations for the organisation. Part of his responsibilities included shepherding the company through a re-branding and expansion phase into global markets by opening and maintaining branches in Africa, South America and Europe, in addition to offices located in the US and the Bahamas. As Munroe Jr. managed the business aspect of the company, his father was able to focus on the consultancy aspect, lecturing to over a million people annually and producing inspirational television content that reached millions each week across the globe.
As the legacy carrier for their family – a responsibility that he shares with his sister, Charisa – Munroe Jr. role has evolved to include lecturing and consulting as well. He has been invited to speak to crowds as large as 5,000 and as small as mentorship circles impacting the lives of today’s youths. His message of passion and purpose is grounded in the idea of responsibility. Like his father, Munroe Jr. has met with Kings, prime ministers, ambassadors, politicians, and tastemakers from around the world. His life’s work is to continue his parents’ vision of transforming followers into leaders, and leaders into agents of change and to further his personal vision of providing advancement opportunities to equip people to live their best lives.
Munroe Jr. obtained a BS degree in International Business from Oral Roberts University and an MBA in Entrepreneurial Studies from Fairleigh Dickinson University. His formative years were spent in private and commercial banking (Fidelity Merchant Bank and Trust Co.) and marketing and operations (Esso Standard Oil S.A. Ltd.). As the only heirs of Dr. Myles and Ruth Munroe, Munroe Jr. and his sister now carry on the legacy of their parents through the establishment of the Myles and Ruth Munroe Foundation, a non-profit organisation that encourages excellence through mentorship and education. Munroe Jr. serves as the Vice President of the Foundation and as CEO of Munroe Global, Inc.
Sponsors can donate whatever they can or they can opt to take one of the packages: Basic Package ($250); Bronze Package ($500); Silver Package ($1,000); Gold Package ($1,500) or Platinum Package ($2,500+).
To donate to this cause, contact members of the foundation at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 587-1453; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 581-7080 /Joanne DeVries 553-0877.
