Justice minister commends annual back-to-school treat organisers

Carder Park, Portland:

The Portland Paradise Weekend (PPW) annual back-to-school treat held Sunday on the lawns of the newly upgraded sporting facility Carder Park was, by all indications, a huge success.

The event, now in its ninth staging, this year hosted Dr Elaine Grant Bryan, Jamaica’s honorary consul to Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck; and author Dr Denisha Brown.

President and founder of PPW, Eunice Rashford, a Jamaican living in the United States, shared her excitement at being able to host the event, especially as she recalled the challenges of her early years spent at primary and high schools in Portland.

“So this is my way of giving back to my own people. And I am hoping that this back-to-school treat will assist parents and students in some meaningful way as they seek to recover from the ravages brought about by Hurricane Beryl,” she commented.

“The presence of the honorary consul, Dr Bryan, author Dr Brown, and Minister Chuck is a plus for the people of Portland, and it is quite evident that they are in full support of this back-to-school treat. I am particularly happy to see the smiles on the faces of the children and parents, who, despite the humid conditions, enjoyed the entertainment and gifts. We handed out more than 700 bag packs with writing books, reading books, pen, pencil, ruler, geometry set, and erasers,”she added.

Earlier, Dr Brown handed out approximately 150 textbooks - which she authored - titled My Motivational, Print, Handwriting and Numbers Workbook for Beginners, which aims to ‘inspire the growth and development of children at the kindergarten level.

Justice minster Chuck poured accolades on what he described as a “wonderful initiative on the part of Rashford:, remarking that :it is a wonderful thing when a Portlander living in the US sees it necessary to take time out to provide a back-to-school treat for hundreds of children”.

“She is from this parish, working with one of the biggest airline companies, Delta (Delta Airlines), and has decided to continue to provide, on an annual basis, gifts and school supplies to the children of Portland,” Chuck noted.

“It shows that this Jamaican clearly remembers her Jamaican roots. When the consul general told me she was coming to Jamaica, I decided that I had to be a part of this history in Portland. I am happy to be here to witness this donation. And it is a wonderful thing to see the parents and students getting this kind of well-needed assistance. I really have to commend Miss Rashford for this particular initiative, which has impacted the lives of children positively,” he added.