‘Life isn’t worth living if you don’t give back’

Ian Clough doesn’t keep all the accolades to himself; he continuously mentions the donors in the United States who assist in making his contributions to Jamaican students each year a reality. His commitment, however, goes beyond measure.

“I want to make sure I contribute as much as I can because I don’t think life is worthwhile and worth living if you don’t give back,” Clough told GoodHeart, shortly after donating 12 tablets and several backpacks loaded with books and supplies to students at the Exchange All-Age School in St Ann, along with two laptops for the administrators.

Additionally, Clough, who originally hails from Mile End in St Ann, but now resides in the United States, took several stethoscopes for nursing students at the Brown’s Town Community College, a practice that also goes back several years. Noting the prohibitive cost of stethoscopes locally, he hopes his contributions can make a real difference in the life of the students. The St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital has also benefited from his generosity.

At Exchange All-Age School, students attending summer classes were only too happy to accept the gifts, sweetened with the serving of ice cream later on.

“I come from a humble beginning, and I would have loved to have some of these things given to me when I was younger, so therefore I try to do as much as I can to give back to the students,” Clough said, mentioning his team of donors. “I have a very good group of people in the United States who always want to give back, so what I do is basically be the liaison to them giving stuff to me and me handing it out. So everything is not only from me, but from my team. I have a very good team who I thank very much,” he added.

Amanda Thomas of Exchange, whose seven-year-old daughter, Deshauntae Gardner, received one of the tablets, said she was delighted with the device, which her daughter needs, as she prepares to enter grade two in September.

GIVING THANKS

“I am highly appreciative of it,” Thomas stated. “I wasn’t really looking for it, but I give thanks for it, and I want to give a big thanks to the donors who sponsored all the tablets [given] to the Exchange All-Age School,” she added.

School principal Ricardo Moncrieffe said the donations meant a lot to the school.

“This is tremendous support for the school,” Moncrieffe told The Gleaner. “We have been faced with challenges, not being able to acquire some of the much-needed gadgets such as laptops that we would have needed for the office and so on, and we’re indeed appreciative to Mr Ian Clough for this initiative.”

Councillor for the Exchange division, Ian Isaacs, who has worked with Clough over the years to facilitate the donations, hailed the donor for his generosity.

“Ian Clough continues to give back to Jamaica through Exchange All-Age School and also the St Ann’s Bay Hospital. Both have benefited extremely from his generosity,” Isaacs pointed out.

Moncrieffe and Isaacs used the occasion to appeal to other persons and organisations to support education and health by donating much-needed items.

“It doesn’t have to be Exchange All-Age; there are many other schools, many other hospitals which are in need, and we give a lot of praise to Mr Clough for his kindness to our students and our hospitals as well,” Isaacs said.