Sat | Apr 20, 2024

Hometown hero Thompson-Herah brings early Christmas to Banana Ground

Published:Monday | December 20, 2021 | 12:09 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
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Elaine Thompson-Herah leafs through a book with children in her hometown of Banana Ground, Manchester, on Saturday during a pre-Christmas donation of care packages by The Fast Elaine Foundation. Assisting her is Tracy-Ann Jamas (second right), customer ser
Ian Allen/Photographer
Elaine Thompson-Herah leafs through a book with children in her hometown of Banana Ground, Manchester, on Saturday during a pre-Christmas donation of care packages by The Fast Elaine Foundation. Assisting her is Tracy-Ann Jamas (second right), customer service representative of National Commercial Bank, one of Thompson-Herah’s sponsors.
Elaine Thompson-Herah (left) helps fit a face mask on her grandmother, Hycenth ‘Gloria’ Thompson, during a community treat in Banana Ground on Saturday. Hycenth Thompson’s animated celebration after Thompson-Herah’s 100m Olympic victory in Tokyo we
Ian Allen/Photographer
Elaine Thompson-Herah (left) helps fit a face mask on her grandmother, Hycenth ‘Gloria’ Thompson, during a community treat in Banana Ground on Saturday. Hycenth Thompson’s animated celebration after Thompson-Herah’s 100m Olympic victory in Tokyo went viral.
Elaine Thompson-Herah (right) presents a care package to Eneth Wallker and her five-year-old niece Jayanna Johnson when Thompson-Herah visited Banana Ground for a community treat under the auspices of her Fast Elaine Foundation.
Ian Allen/Photographer
Elaine Thompson-Herah (right) presents a care package to Eneth Wallker and her five-year-old niece Jayanna Johnson when Thompson-Herah visited Banana Ground for a community treat under the auspices of her Fast Elaine Foundation.
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Elaine Thompson-Herah, the world’s fastest woman alive, zipped into Banana Ground, Manchester, on Saturday and brought Christmas cheer to residents who turned out for their hometown hero.

The five-time Olympic champion personally distributed care packages to the locals and paused in between handing out packages to pose for photos with locals who wanted to capture the moment with Thompson-Herah, the World Female Athlete of the Year for 2021.

Thompson-Herah partnered with her Jamaican sponsors, FLOW and National Commercial Bank, to support her newly established Fast Elaine Foundation efforts in making residents holiday season a brighter one despite the economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The creation of the foundation was announced last week by Thompson-Herah. One of its first donations was to give back to her birthplace.

“It was always a thing for me to give back. Three years ago, I always wanted to create my own foundation and I finally got a chance to do it, and I said the first thing [I would do] when I announce my foundation was to give back to my community,” she told The Gleaner.

Young, old, and in between came out in their numbers to receive the more than 350 goodie bags prepared. Children were given activity books and pencils, and their parents were given bags containing food items and toiletries.

“I am feeling happy, I am overwhelmed,” Thompson-Herah exclaimed, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to give back to her roots and help those who are financially unstable.

FLOW rewarded those who correctly answered personal questions about Thompson-Herah during a ‘Who knows Elaine the best?’ segment. Winners were given FLOW-branded paraphernalia, and Hi-Lo supermarket gift vouchers were also presented.

Honey Bun, Tradewinds, Tru-Juice, Eve Foods, and Red Bull were among the other sponsors that helped make the donations possible.

“I try to do my best to support as much as I can ... and I hope this small token is something they could use to look forward for the Christmas,” said Thompson-Herah.

The Fast Elaine Foundation aims to provide school supplies and develop a nutrition programme to assist children from underserved communities.

“My plan is to help vulnerable persons who may not [be able] to fund themselves to go to school,” she said.

Thompson-Herah has also revealed plans to sponsor the academic pursuits of five students from her alma maters, Christiana High and Manchester High.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com