St. Elizabeth Primary Schools Get Relief Supplies

Black River and Brampton primary and infant schools in St. Elizabeth have received donations of hurricane relief supplies valued at over $500,000 from the Friends of Region 6.

The items, which were handed over to the institutions on November 28, included care packages containing food, shoes, clothing, and water.

The organisation also assisted with ongoing clean-up at the schools and offered counselling to students, teachers and community persons.

Speaking with JIS News, Principal of Brampton Primary School, Janice McKenzie, said that the school community is grateful.

“These physical [items] symbolise something greater than gifts after a disaster; they symbolise love, care, and partnership. We extend thanks to Friends of Region 6, as the gifts received have significantly benefited staff and community,” she stated.

Chairman of the St. Catherine-based organisation, Anne Geddes-Spence, said that the group was moved to assist the institutions, which are outside of its service region, after seeing the devastation caused by the hurricane.

“It is about our call to serve and service we will continue to give to this nation,” she told JIS News.

Public Relations Officer, Sonia Heslop, pledged to render further assistance to the institutions, which she noted were “seriously impacted” by Hurricane Melissa.

She commended the donors, “who have really risen to the crisis, and they have wholeheartedly partnered with us and we are happy to be associated with them. The gifts that they have given have been well received by each school”.

Friends of Region 6 was established to support educational institutions in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s Region 6, which includes St. Catherine and sections of Clarendon.

The organisation hosts annual awards ceremonies to celebrate and recognise the achievements of students, teachers and other personnel at educational institutions.