Bull Bay Primary embraces NAJ and LASCO Chin Foundation

OVER 100 students of the Bull Bay Primary and Infant School received a boost of fun and treats ahead of the Easter holidays from the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) and LASCO Chin Foundation on April 8. The initiative, spearheaded by Patsy Edwards-Henry, president of the Nurses Association of Jamaica, and Lillian Lewis-McDonald, LASCO Nurse of the Year (NoY) 2021-2022, saw a team of 18 nurses engaged in face-painting activities, motivational talks and games, courtesy of LASCO.

Students and teachers were bowled over by the visit of Jamaica’s first superhero, Captain I CAN, an interactive 8 foot robot which motivates listeners with affirmations and activities to stimulate self-acceptance. The delighted boys and girls were treated to a variety of refreshments, courtesy of LASCO iCool, and smoothies from LASCO Food Drink.

Kanesha Grant-Harvey, principal of Bull Bay Primary and Infant School, lauded the collective effort which lifted the spirits of the students, who are currently impacted by instances of violence in the surrounding communities. “We are grateful to LASCO and the Nurses Association of Jamaica. The students arrived early. Some of them got here before me, some of them reached here before 7 a.m. and were excited to see what was happening. They are really overjoyed, and I know they are as grateful as the teachers,” she noted.

RENEWED HOPE

Lewis-McDonald, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to connect with the children. “There is a lot of violence surrounding our students, the pandemic itself was devastating, so we wanted to bring some life, some cheer and some encouragement to these children. Most of them are from the surrounding communities, and the principal explained to us the difficulties that they are experiencing. Some of them have lost lots of relatives to the violence. So we are happy to be here today. It is my desire to inspire renewed hope and remind them that somebody cares.”

Grant-Harvey, in expressing gratitude, explained how valuable the support is for the school to serve the Bull Bay community. “We need our floor for the infant department to be fixed, and a store room for the infant department. We are really working so that before the school year ends our infant department is certified. Once we achieve our certification status, then all parents who are calling me about bringing their child here will be accommodated.”

The top-placed nurses in the LASCO Nurse of the year programme have been active in other projects geared at building stronger bonds in the communities and transforming the perception of the Nursing profession. The Nurses Association of Jamaica’s ‘Make a Child Smile’ project and the Captain ICan School Tour are also major activities in keeping with the 60th anniversary of the association.

Dion Murphy-Nedrick, LASCO NoY second runner-up, was pleased with the activities. “It is fun, it’s great. I’ve been involved before I was even part of the Nurse of the Year competition. It’s always fun being around the children and seeing how excited they are and giving back to them. This programme is a year-long activity and includes the Easter Bunny Treat and Christmas Treat, which was held December 2021.”

CIVIC PARTNERSHIPS FOR SOCIETAL DEV.

Danielle Cunningham, corporate communications manager at LASCO, believes the unified approach underscores the importance of the culture of civic partnerships for societal development. “LASCO continues to elevate the circumstances of citizens through partnerships with groups such as the Nurses Association of Jamaica. These powerful professionals are encountering varied issues daily, and as they seek support to effect change and improve lives, we are very happy to lend our support.”

LASCO Chin Foundation’s ambassador programmes include partnerships with The Jamaica Constabulary Force, Nurses Association of Jamaica and the Jamaica Teachers Association.