P.A. Benjamin sponsors Wesley Powell Track Meet

The future of the Wesley Powell Track Meet at Excelsior High School has been assured for at least the next five years by the expansion of the involvement of the P.A. Benjamin Manufacturing Company. At Wednesday’s launch of the 20th staging of the event, it was announced that P.A. Benjamin is now the meet’s title sponsor. The company’s factory manager and director Christopher Powell says P.A. Benjamin is making a long-term commitment.

Asked why the new arrangement extends for as long as five years, Powell said: “We think it will be longer, but it’s just to show our commitment. We don’t want the organisers to have to be worrying about where we’re going to find finances and whatever assistance that is required to put the meet on so that the children have an opportunity to showcase their talent. So we wanted to let that part of it be assured, that we are here. We’re not just here for a sound byte this year. We are here committed for the long term. That’s our goal.”

He pinpointed what’s at the heart of the P.A. Benjamin involvement.

“Everybody at the company, we are big track fans. So we’ve always revelled in celebrating track and field and, for what Wesley Powell has stood for over the years in developing our country’s youth, it only seems fitting to be a partner,” said the P.A. Benjamin director to an audience of school teams inside the Excelsior auditorium.

The meet was first held in 1998 to honour the memory of founding headmaster Wesley Powell.

Set for December 9, the meet has support from Grace Kennedy Remittance Services, Manpower Maintenance Services, Lasco, Flow, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, and a wide range of associate sponsors.

Online registration is being facilitated at www.WesleyPowellMeet.com and entries close at 8 p.m. on December 4.

On the track, competition will be staged in the 150 metres, 300m, 600m, 1000m, 3000m for females, 5000m for males, the 4x300m relays for high schools and a mixed 4x300m for primary schools. In the field, there will be competition in the long and high jumps and the shot put. An exhibition pole vault event will also be on the programme.