Young Church Volunteers Lend Support to the Clarendon Infirmary and Summerfield Child Facility

Organisations that look after the infirm, wards of the State, beaches and streets in Clarendon have benefited from work done by young volunteers of the Central Jamaica Seventh-day Adventists, under their Operation Save a Youth (OSAY) initiative.

On March 17, the more than 2,000 volunteers, drawn from the parishes of Manchester, Clarendon and St. Catherine, cleaned the May Pen Market, the Clarendon Infirmary, organised a health fair, and beautified the Summerfield Childcare Facility.

Youth Leader at the Kitson Town Seventh-day Adventist Church, Samantha Bennett, said the volunteers spent most of the day ensuring that areas at the children’s home were cleaned.

“It was a vibrant atmosphere, all hands were on deck, and we got the job done,” said Miss Bennett, in an interview with JIS News.

“It is important for young people to understand the significance of volunteerism. It left an indelible impression in their minds about counting their blessings and giving back. I appreciate their effort in carrying out the work,” she said.

Assistant Manager at the Childcare Facility, Marlon Robinson, said the residents and the staff are pleased with the work done by the team and look forward to another visit.

“We are very much pleased, and we appreciate it. It is a very pleasant atmosphere at this time,” he shared with JIS News.

For his part, Director of the Youth, Children and Adolescent Ministries at the Central Jamaica Conference (CJC), Pastor Dwayne Scott, said during the day they distributed literature dealing with health and family life issues and relaunched the OSAY Counselling Centre to serve persons experiencing emotional issues.

“Quite a number of youth are plagued with many challenges – grieving, having relationship issues, mental health and suicidal issues – so the Centre is there for them to get professional care, and it is free of cost,” he said.

Pastor Scott noted that more than 200 persons got support at the health expo, and the volunteers handed over beds and other items to the May Pen Hospital and the Clarendon Infirmary.

He told JIS News that most of the projects were completed in record time by the volunteers “who are a group of young people who are standing for peace, unity and service to humanity”.

“I am grateful for this opportunity to serve the parish. We had a lot of partners and donors, so that we could have an impact on the communities,” Pastor Scott said.

The Counselling Centre, which is located on Brunswick Avenue in Spanish Town, is run in combination with the Volunteer Counsellors Association.

It caters to youth through telephone calls at 876-233-9696, 876-517-9911 and 876-518-0416, or interpersonal contact, to assist them in handling issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, bereavement, sexual temptations, relationships, work-related issues, parental problems, sexual abuse (past or present), anger management, addiction, rape, peer pressure, and conflict resolution.

Meanwhile, Matron at the Clarendon Infirmary, Joan Thompson, said the impact of the work was tremendous and that the institution received several gifts.

“It was a tremendous impact, with the youth so vibrant,” she shared, adding that 18 of the residents were provided with dental care, and seven staff members got medical attention.

“They did bushing of the compound, and helped with other activities, and we are very appreciative. They could have chosen to be somewhere else, or to be doing something else, so we are very thankful,” the Matron said.

For Mayor of May Pen, Councillor Joel Williams, the “army of young people” touched the parish with “outpouring generosity, and we can’t over-emphasise our gratefulness for what they did. The entire group did a fantastic job across the parish and came at their own expense”.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the May Pen Hospital, Eugena Clarke-James, described the occasion as a “blessing” and noted that the work done, especially a mural on the wall of the hospital that depicts healing, will be therapeutic for patients.

“I want to commend the youth, about 100 of them; it was a wonderful day,” she said, adding that they did a beautification of the institution that will enhance patient care.

The OSAY seeks to encourage young people to extend kindness to persons in need by volunteering to participate in uplifting activities.

At this year’s staging, 22 persons received educational scholarships valued at $40,000 and 50,000 for high schools and universities, respectively.