Alpheus Finlayson Life Member , Million Dollar Round Table Financial Services Representative
Page 4 – THE MOTIVATOR – October 2017
CHRISTINE KING – Continued from page 4
her cheek but she says that they are tears of joy . She says , “ When I look at my life and what God has done for me , I see Him in me helping others . People always ask me about the happiest time of my life and I would say ; RIGHT NOW .” She says she is happier for the journey that brought her to this place . I am happy , I love what I do , I make money doing it and I can afford to take care of myself and still some left to help others .” Asked her if it can be better ? She says , “ Of course ! As long as there is life there is improvement to be had , I am looking forward to much more .”
Christine ’ s mom ’ s health worsened and by 1991 , the ambulance calls to take her to the hospital were more frequent . Her sisters were getting older and the adolescent struggles were kicking in . By this time financially a few family members had chipped in . My aunts would help to buy groceries and pay portions of the utilities . By 1992 my sister was preparing for graduation and it was a happy occasion , this meant that she would be able to work and assist going forward . Her second sister , graduated in June 1992 and in November her mom died at the age of 38 years old . It was a time to look at life and set another course . “ I felt like one journey had ended but my path was still unclear . I can recall praying and saying Lord if this is what you had me to do , I ’ m done now , show me my way .” She remembers that it was only one month and the landlord said that he was refurbishing and they had to move . Christine said she thought this was her breakthrough and that she would venture out into a life of her own . “ But I thought of my two younger sisters who were still in high school and I realized that I was not quite done yet .” Again her family relocated but one thing was evident by this time and it was that they were sticking together .
“ Tough times never last , tough people do ” Christine says this quote by Robert Schuller resonated with her and her sisters and that they were going to make truth of it . As the years went on and as each sister graduated and began to work in various jobs they stayed together . They worked and went to college part-time and all were college graduates one after the other . Today , she always boasts and says ” We them girls , yes Vilda girls .” This was a personal thing as everyone who knew her and her sisters ’ story would refer to them as ‘ Vilda girls ’ referring to her mom whose name was Advilda Gilbert . Christine finished with an Accounting degree and a minor in Business , Loretta with an Accounting Degree , Stacey with a degree in Education and Desiree a registered nurse degree . Today , they are all well respected citizens in society and leading productive and successful lives . Christine says , “ This was indeed a story of tragedy to triumph , we are living proof that tough times do not last , tough people do .” “ People see us and always applause us for doing well but I am so much more delighted when they recognize and applause us for sticking together . “ My greatest achievements yet , are my sisters .”
Christine continued her personal journey and in 1993 the company closed down but again another door opened . The owner was building another business and again handpicked Christine along with four others to join him . Christine ’ s passion for people and service led her to pursue various courses and certifications in Business Management and Retail Sales and for twenty three ( 23 ) years maintains employment at The Paint Place where she serves in the capacity of General Manager with responsibility for three stores and forty employees . She is the face of colors behind The Paint Place having assisted so many customers in choosing that special paint for their home . Although in a management position , Christine takes every opportunity to mix paint , visit job sites and interact with customers as often as she can . She loves what she does and says that she really is not trying anything new anytime soon . She believes God has placed her in this field . She is happy to work with a close family business and employees who are like family . A devout Christian Catholic , she worships at the St . Thomas More Parish . “ I like to say I am a show piece of God ’ s mercy . He was there with me every step and when I felt like it was the end , He opened doors and saw me through them . “ I often contemplate writing a book and the title I thought of was “ I was Chosen .” Perhaps one day . Christine believes that her life journey has created in her a passion to help people . As many would have thought that she would selfishly fade into living her life . No ! Not so soon . Again , she was thrust into the life of a family of three young kids . Christine however says it was not by force but she feels like it was her destiny . Just a short stop away from Christine ’ s office , a young lady would frequent the super market area with three little boys seeking change or any assistance possible from passer byes . It would ’ ve been so easy to mind her own business but by nature Christine just had to speak to her . She discovered that the lady lived just across the corner and met hardship . Soon thereafter , tragedy struck leaving her a single mother . Her children ’ s father had drowned . Empathetic to the lady ’ s situation Christine could not let the lives of those innocent children go awry and soon began assisting ; providing them with groceries and meals and ensuring they were prepared for the school year with school supplies , uniforms , bags and a sturdy pair of school shoes . This was her introduction to service based on her very own past but in 2002 Christine was introduced to the organization called Kiwanis by then realtor Arnold Simmons who invited her to a meeting .
The meeting would change her life forever . Instantly , after the first meeting she said she realized that she had found help for the boys . She became a member in September of 2002 and as destiny would have in October she was asked by the incoming president to be the Chair of Youth Services and Young Children : Priority One committees . Serving as a member for one month with very little knowledge of the organization she accepted . Christine says , “ I was really not sure what I was getting into but I knew I had found the means to assist those boys .” Her projects were a wide scope but included the boys every step of the way . It was summer of 2003 when she got board ’ s approval to sponsor the two older boy ’ s first trip outside of Nassau to summer camp in Eleuthera . More than a decade later , Christine remains faithful and with the help of Kiwanians , family and friends her service to this family is a staple in her life . Many of Christine ’ s acts of kindness are like this family . Almost daily she is being called on to lend a hand , which she does and in the process she extends her heart bringing hope to those in need . Christine says , “ For me , what matters most is the joy of knowing that I have made a difference , especially when it is manifested in the lives of children and you watch them grow up to become purposeful young people leading
Businessman , Track Man , Trusted and Proven Life and Health Insurance Provider .
productive lives .” Today , two of the boys have graduated , one is awaiting a track scholarship , the other is working and his hope is to become a Marine , and the younger one is in school and working part time with her at The Paint Place .
Christine ’ s life took another down turn , this time it was the closest person to her . She recalls the greatest loss in her life in 2003 . At 47 years old he died of a heart attack one month to his 48th birthday . It was the year that she and he had planned a birthday party together . She was making preparation to travel to spend their birthday together which was just one week apart , March 7th and March 15th and on February 7th she received the dreaded phone call . “ I felt like my world had ended , after all the good I had done , I felt like I was being punished .” She says , “ The only and final part of me was again taken away .” My father raised me better than a mother and I always boasted about being raised by a young single father . Again , many people rallied around her and helped her with the grief process of her father ’ s untimely death . “ I almost let go but my journey in Kiwanis gave me reasons to hold on ”
Christine ’ s journey into Kiwanis began fifteen ( 15 ) years ago when she was inducted into The Kiwanis Club of Fort Montagu . She was captivated by the organization ’ s focus of ‘ serving the children of the world ’ and changing
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Alpheus Finlayson Life Member , Million Dollar Round Table Financial Services Representative
Alpheus . Finlayson @ COLINA . com
O ffice : 242 . 356 . 8414 ( direct ) Mobile : 242 . 432 . 9961