Debbie Spain

    On November 17^th, 1972, Ms. Mel Spain gave birth to a daughter, Deborah, across the country in San Ignacio. Debbie was raised by her mother in Georgeville in the Cayo District where she attended elementary school. At the age of eleven, Debbie moved to Los Angeles, California for a period of three years to live with her aunt.

    Upon her return to Belize, Debbie relocated with her mother to San Pedro and enrolled at San Pedro High School. After graduating in 1990, she continued her education in Belize City, attending Glessima Computer School for one year. Back in San Pedro, Debbie was hired as a front desk agent at Victoria House and spent the next two years there. Having saved some money, she once again moved to Los Angeles where she was trained as a barber at Marinelo's School of Beauty. Receiving her certification, she returned to San Pedro and joined the staff of Tropical Waves & Designs. Debbie's main focus was cutting children's and men's hair. She targeted the younger generation, offering the latest hair styles for a minimal fee. Having established a large clientele, she ventured out on her own and opened Debbie's Stylish Cuts. Debbie's barber skills and creative "cuts" continued to gain her more customers and soon she had lines of people awaiting her services.

    To supplement her income, in late 1998, Debbie was hired by the San Pedro Town Council as a traffic warden for the San Pedro Traffic Department. Since then she has fulfilled her tasks to the best of her abilities. Debbie has also gone that extra step in her job advising the council on new techniques and giving recommendations to alleviate the traffic problems on the island. Instrumental in helping to organize the Ambergris Caye Traffic Control Committee, Debbie was promoted and is currently the Supervising Traffic Warden.

    Another side of Debbie Spain is her work with the youth of this community. Always very athletic herself, she stands firm in her belief that sports are a healthy activity. She says that while cutting hair, she would often hear young customers lamenting over the lack of sporting facilities on the island. It was these complaints which gave her the incentive to lobby the San Pedro Town Council to expand and renovate the basketball court at Central Park. "It took over six months but the project finally went through," commented Ms. Spain. She also expressed her desire to see that a youth development officer be appointed exclusively for the administration and planning of sporting activities on the island. She hopes that more volleyball tournaments, as well as softball tournaments be held to motivate the youngsters, and keep them from idleness and mischief. Aiding in this quest, Debbie is presently assisting with the girl's basketball team at San Pedro High School and is a member of the San Pedro Branch of the National Drug Abuse Control Council.

    Debbie Spain is the proud mother of eight year-old Natasha and six year-old twin boys, Jomar and Jordan. Her children are also her incentive for dedicating so much of her time to organizing events for the youth. Debbie explained that as her children grow, they too will have to make choices regarding healthy activities or bad habits. She strongly feels that if more fun, wholesome activities are available, the youth will be more apt to travel down the right path in life.

    Between work and her devotion to the young people of San Pedro, Debbie Spain certainly displays the qualities of a leader. She also has the necessary skills to inspire others to become productive citizens of their community. By promoting island sports and healthy alternatives, Debbie Spain is helping to mold the future leaders of "Our Community."