RBC Launches Race for Kids

The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), launched the RBC Race for Kids in the Cayman Islands on Tuesday, March 2nd.

RBC Country Manager Ericka Rolle said the Race for Kids has its genesis in one sole purpose - “creating brighter prospect for our children and youth.”

“This event has a long and productive track record benefiting charities dedicated to improving the lives of our youngest citizens that experiencing issues ranging from mental health the cancer throughout the Caribbean,” said Mrs. Rolle.

She explained that in 2016, RBC adopted the name ‘RBC Race for the Kids,’ which is a compelling series of global charitable funds supporting youth focused causes.

To date the series has seen over 360,000 participants who have collectively raised more than 82 million dollars.

This includes the efforts of individuals and communities in races in Barbados, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago and now for the first time, the Cayman Islands.

Mrs. Rolle said she was proud to announce that the inaugural Cayman RBC Race for the Kids event will benefit the Alex Panton Foundation, also known as APF, which is a Non-Profit Organization dedicated to raising awareness of mental health issues affecting children and young adults in the Cayman Islands, with a particular focus on anxiety and depression.

APF was established in memory of Alex Panton, who in 2010 tragically succumbed to the effects of severe depression, at the age of 16.

Alex’s parents, Jane and Wayne Panton, along with some of Alex’s closest friends and their mothers founded APF to help builds awareness and reduce the stigma around mental illness.

The RBC Race for Kids is a 5K walk/run event that will offer participants an opporuntit to get active and a chance to make a difference, according to organizers.

They added that it also gives Team RBC an opportunity to give back to the community, whilst also giving children and youth experiencing mental health issues a hope for a better today and tomorrow, with support from the Alex Panton foundation.

Newly appointed Board Member for the Alex Panton Foundation, Mrs. Rhonda Kelly noted, “I am pleased to be here representing the Alex Panton Foundation.”

She added that the Foundation was pleased to have been selected by RBC as a the benefiting charity for RBC’s Race for the Kids event.

“Funds donated from corporate entities such as RBC enable the Foundation to accomplish the goal of raising awareness of mental illness affecting children and young people in the Cayman Islands,” she said.

Mrs. Kelly added that in the six years since the Foundation’s was established, many programs have been created to meet its objectives.

These include, an emotional literacy programme for children (from ages 5 to 9); a Youth Ambassador Programme/peer support initiative for teens and other youth; the Breaking Barriers support group for young adults (ages 18-30); Teen Talk, a virtual support group for teens (ages 13 to 17).

The Addison Kelly Memorial Scholarship is also administered though the Alex Panton Foundation. It is open to Caymanians who wish to pursue post-graduate studies in the mental health field and is funded by events like the Addison Kelly Butterfly Walk/Run; the first of which took place on 4th February, 2023.

Addison Kelly, the daughter of the APF Board Member Mrs. Rhonda Kelly. Addison passed away last year asa result of several mental health issues. 

Interested persons can find out more about these programs at https://alexpantonfoundation.ky/ .