NEW YORK: A United States-based Grenadian medical doctor has been awarded for his service to the Grenadian community in New York. Dr. Roland Purcell was presented with the first ever award by the Grenada Consulate in New York on Sunday. The presentation was made by Consul General Derrick James during an Ecumenical Church Service of Thanksgiving held at the St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Brooklyn. The award, which will be made annually, was presented to Dr Purcell for assisting the Consulate in providing exemplary service to the community. The St David-born physician is well known for his non-monetary service to nationals both in Grenada and in New York. The engraved recognition plaque read: “2010 Community Service Award presented to Dr Roland Purcell in grateful appreciation for your outstanding dedicated service to the people of Grenada”. The award is one of two to be awarded by the Consulate to mark Grenada’s 36th anniversary of Independence. The other - Humanitarian Award - will be presented at the Independence Dinner and Gala Awards on Saturday. Among attendees at the service were members of the Consular Corps in New York, United States Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Ambassador Dr. Dessima Williams and former Ambassador Dr. Lamuel Stanisclaus. The sermon was delivered by Rev. Crofton Calliste of the Mt. Rose Seventh Day Adventist Church. Meanwhile, 17 year-old Ameena Caesar won Grenada’s Independence Calypso Competition held at the Nazareth High School in Brooklyn on Sunday. Caesar, a recent graduate of the St. Joseph's Convent St. George and the niece of calypsonian Christopher “Squeezy” Antoine, defeated a cast of nine other artistes to become the first female to win the annual competition. Singing in her first calypso competition, the teenager sang "Stand Up For Grenada" to score 332 points, 29 more than runner-up Stumpy. Another veteran Joe-Joe was third with 300 points. The Independence activities in New York began on Saturday with Youthfest at the St. Gregory Parish School and will continue this week with a Senior Citizen’s Tea Party at the Bethany United Methodist Church at 1208 St. John’s Place (between Albany & Troy Avenues) and a social evening at St. Gregory Parish School at 991 St. Johns Place (between Brooklyn & New York Avenues). The tea party will be held from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday while the social evening will take place between 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. on Friday. The Independence activities will wrap up on Saturday with the Dinner and Awards Gala at Antuns in Queens, New York, starting at 9:00 p.m. A cocktail will precede the formal dinner and dance with Lambert & The Matadors providing the entertainment. Patrons will have the opportunity to win door prizes of two round-trip airline tickets to Grenada.