Still active in farming, competitions, 78-year-old Clarendon senior relishes her fitness

Linda Harris, 78, from Pennantwood in Clarendon, is not quite ready to call it quits on her favourite pastime.

The senior, who has an enviable collection of certificates, awards and trophies, brags about her domino prowess which has earned her a few accolades.

She also takes pride in informing The Gleaner of the many trophies and awards she has been piling up every time she enters the National Council for Senior Citizens’ annual competitions across the island.

“I run 50 metres, 100 metres, potato race and I even enter the needle and thread race!” Harris stated, although she admits having some problems with her eyes in recent times and needs treatment for cataract.

READY AND WAITING

This year, she missed out on another chance to compete as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Harris is ready and waiting for the competitions to resume so that she can continue to make her mark.

Harris said that she has made attempts to share her skills and provide guidance to the young people in her community, but many lacked commitment.

“They start and all of a sudden they put it off,” she said.

For Harris, age is just a number, and that is why the senior citizen is still rearing goats and chickens to supplement her monthly pension.

“The Lord has given me the strength as old as I am, to do what I can do to show the world that I am still trying to do something to help myself,” she shared.

Harris, like other farmers, has not escaped praedial larceny. Giving thanks to God for His intervention, she said thieves took four of her goats including her ‘prize’ ram. However, the ram escaped from its captors and made its way back home.

“Di rammy buss di rope and come back and come stand up beside mi,” she recounted.

Harris, who credits her strength, health and blessings to living and “not folding her hands”, said she is a giver and that is one thing she can share with the world.