Kimberlee Callam: The cheerful giver

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

– Galatians 6:9

Kimberlee Callam lives selflessly on the receiving end of what she refers to as a ‘call to serve’. In fact, the generous woman admitted that the service signal buzzed her heart from an early age.

Smiling, she recalled one of her very first acts of kindness which saw a 10-year-old Callum gallantly gifting a piece of her mother’s furniture to a community member she thought was in need.

Little Kimberlee gave no thought to the consequences, which involved her mother’s fury, she was just happy to be able to help.

“I believe I am called to serve. It is something that is in me and I am not able to shake it easily. It gives me great satisfaction to be able to go out and give back. It doesn’t have to be a major event, as long as I am able to help somebody in some way, I will always be on board,” Callam shared.

Her benevolence could not be hidden as it made its way beyond the borders of her community to her workplace.

As an active ambassador for the Sandals Foundation – the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International, Callam is celebrated as one of the most decorated members of the environment, health and safety group known throughout the company as the Sandals Earth Guardians.

Her involvement in these groups allows her to go into various communities on a regular basis and serve those in need.

Throughout the years, she has lost track of the number of coastal clean-ups, back-to-school treats, Labour Day projects, reading road trips, infirmary visits, school stops and other philanthropic initiatives that she has happily volunteered to participate in.

“I try to be present at all Earth Guardian and Sandals Foundation outreach projects. I always encourage others to volunteer as well and I send them constant reminders leading up to the project. So if it is a case where I can’t make it, I know there are others who have gone out to give back,” she said.

Kindness, she told Family and Religion, is a trait she inherited from her father.

“I grew up seeing my father sharing with just about anybody. He was like a Good Samaritan who was always quick to lend a helping hand. Here I am now, just the same way,” she said as she proudly celebrated the Christ-like inheritance.

Second Corinthians 9 verse 6 shares that whosoever sows sparingly, will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously, will also reap generously.

For the cheerful giver though, her passion for service has nothing to do with what she will reap in return. She recalled being awarded and opted to use her prize money to treat others.

According to her, “I said instead of giving me the money, let us cash it out and use it and do something for others. I am grateful that they deem me worthy of the prizes, but I just really love to give back. I do not even think about the rewards, honestly. Going out there is rewarding enough for me,” Callam shared.