St. James Sports Personality Proud to Receive GG Award

Well-known St. James sports figure, Jeremiah ‘Jerry’ Reid, is proud to have been recognised by the Governor General for his contribution to his chosen field.

He was one of six persons from the county of Cornwall, who were recently presented with the 2013 Governor General’s Achievement Award for dedicated and meritorious service to their communities across various disciplines.

Mr. Reid, who is Institute of Sports Development Officer for the parishes of St. James and Hanover, boasts a long and outstanding career and involvement in sporting activities across St. James and western Jamaica.

He tells JIS News that the honour will give him added encouragement and motivation to contribute more.

“The award only gives me the drive to continue to get more involved. There are lots of communities that need help and if I can be one such person to help or get others to help the unfortunate in these communities, then I will be more than happy to assist.  I therefore gratefully accept it because people, who give community service, do not always live to get recognised,” he says.

The Governor General Achievement awardee, who was born in Railway Lane in Montego Bay, says he developed a deep love for sports and physical activity from an early age.

This led him to pursue certification in the coaching of football and cricket at G.C. Foster College and the University of Technology, then College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST).

As a community youth leader, he arranged sporting activities for several youth and service clubs, and football competitions in the communities of Salt Spring, Norwood, Barrett Town and Granville.

Schools in Anchovy, Cambridge, Adelphi and Mount Salem, as well as hotels and the Salvation Army, have also benefited from his organisational skills.

The dedicated family man, who has been married to Deloris since 1989,  is the serving Captain of the St. James Senior Citizens’ Association and has been champion of the Jamaica and Caribbean Senior Citizens 50 metres and 100 metres dash for the past five years.

In addition to his involvement in sports, Mr. Reid has also served as member of the Montego Bay Boys’ Club, the Western Society for the Upliftment of Children, the St. James Youth Council and the Farm Heights/Rose Heights Peace Management Committee.

He regularly conducts peace management courses in communities such as Flanker, Mount Salem and Canterbury and finds time to assist the St. James Hospice in the distribution of food and items of clothing to the street people of Montego Bay.

The other five recipients of the Governor General’s 2013 Achievement Award for the county of Cornwall were: James Carman Wright of Hanover; William James Benjamin of St. Elizabeth; Irvin George Green, Westmoreland; Lennox Paul Napier, Trelawny; and Jodykay Maxwell from St. Elizabeth, who received the Governor General’s Award of Excellence.

The Governor General’s Achievement Awards (GGAA) Programme, held since 1991, recognises persons, who have uplifted themselves from modest circumstances to excel in their chosen field, and are contributing to improving the lives of others through community service.