The Estys running for love, philanthropy

Norville and Kerry Esty are experiencing the run of their lives in love and philanthropy.

Sharing a natural and mutual love for sports makes them do virtually everything together, off and on the field or courts. So imagine the intrigue on Team Esty when Sandals Resorts became a sponsor of the annual MoBay City Run. The charity road race financially supports tertiary students in western Jamaica and that made the husband and wife duo even more excited to dash at the chance to get involved.

This isn’t their first athletics stint. Kerry, the administrative assistant for the hotel’s international food and beverage department, once played an active role in netball. Her devoted husband, the watersports supply chain manager at the resorts’ procurement division, stood by her side, supporting his wife’s endeavours. He even participated as the team’s coach.

“When the netball team started here, Kerry was a member of it. So, it has always been that, whether planning or participating, we have always been there together. Most of the sports that I play, she plays or eventually ends up playing,” Norville said, as he proudly stood by his wife, with whom he has been married for seven years.

Their love and adoration for sports resonated in the hearts of their colleagues as well, forging strong bonds with their co-workers.

The recent staging of the city run marked the lovebirds’ third time participating in the running event under the Sandals banner. Participating in company-sponsored charity runs and team member-centred activities has been a big part of her personal and professional development.

“Aside from the MoBay City Run, we’ve done the Guardian Group ‘Keep it Alive’ Night Run twice, the CUMI Come Run about three times, and the Cornwall College Old Boys Association Run. The company sponsored all of these events, and they received big support from our team,” Kerry said, reaching for her phone to show photos of her and Norville posing with Sandals’ Executive Chairman Adam Stewart, at a previous charity run.

Engaging in those priceless moments not only assisted with the improvement of work relationships, it promoted personal and community development as well.

“These moments really help with enhancing work relationships; how you carry yourself, and how you live. It gives you a wholesome way of life. It’s not just about running aimlessly but how you do what you do and the effect and influence you have in helping to impact someone’s life for the better,” added Kerry, who received the company’s Diamond Award, an honour given to the team member of the year in 2022.

Originally from Kingston, Kerry moved to Montego Bay when she joined the Sandals family back in December 2013. She considered the second city her home and she feels great pride knowing that she is part of a movement that has impacted hundreds of lives in the community where she lives and works.

For Norville, participating in charity runs is about more than just a love of sports. It’s also about team-building and encouragement. “Sports is one of the greatest teachers because you learn how to be a great teammate. It teaches patience, it teaches endurance, and it teaches you how to problem-solve. I think when Sandals does this for people who’ve invested a lot in their work, it shows a level of interest that most other companies don’t have. It shows you’re interested in going beyond just giving me a pay cheque. It shows that the company sees the value in community development and providing an avenue for its employees to release, relax, and enjoy themselves.”

Through their collective love of sports and charity run participations, Norville and Kerry have found a way to connect with each other and their colleagues while also making a positive impact in their community. This is a story that goes beyond just two and shows the power of sports in bringing people together for a greater cause.