Outreach projects to benefit from Mandeville Police Youth Club 5K Run

Mandeville, Manchester

Two institutions of care are to benefit from the proceeds of the sixth staging of the Mandeville Police Youth Club (MPYC) 5K Run set for Sunday, March 26.

President of the MPYC, Anna-Lisa Roach, told The Gleaner that the initiative is one of the club’s official outreach projects to empower youth through personal and professional development opportunities.

“Our beneficiaries this year are the S.L Blake Basic School in Mile Gully (formerly Mile Gully Basic School), they are in need of infrastructural development; painting ... learning material and food items; and the Mustard Seed Community in Spur Tree, that caters to approximately 25 disabled children, which needs assistance with infrastructure, food, clothing and a renovation of their wash area.”

Roach said the aim is to raise $500,000, with all proceeds to benefit the two entities. She said that club members have since taken to the streets to solicit funding, in addition to monies that will be collected from registration for the 5K Run.

“Persons may visit our social media pages, Mandeville PYC on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, for the link for online registration. Our early-bird fee is $1,500 and on- location fee is $2,000. We also have a group deal of $10,000 for 10 persons.”

She added, “The 5Kroute is from the town centre to Ward Avenue, on to West Road, to Brumalia Road, on to Main Street, and end at the Cecil Charlton Park.”

Roach said the effort is also to highlight the needs that exist in the communities.

“We really want persons to come on board. Even if you can’t participate, you can make donations to the CSSB at the Mandeville Police Station. After the 5K and the collection of all funds, we will be doing the handover in April.” She urged persons at all levels to get involved saying, “The police youth club is here for every youth and everyone, and it has an important role to play.”

At a recent town hall meeting in Mandeville, Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson said additional support for youth clubs will be explored through a number of avenues.

“One of the reasons we have police youth clubs is to engage the youth. That is a direct action on our part to show young people a different pathway. They have been in place for a long time and some senior officers were former members of youth clubs, and we see the impact of that. It is something we have to continue, and build out stronger.”

Anderson said that the strengthening process would also involve the Community Safety and Security Branch (CSSB) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force assessing budgetary allocations for police youth clubs to determine where it could help with related expenses.

He added that uniformity across all clubs will also be reinforced to ensure that the objectives are met, and there isn’t a greater reliance on any one police unit tasked with the responsibility of overseeing these clubs.