GoodHeart |RuJohn Foundation makes up for cancelled 2020 camp

The 200.6 kilometres that separate Kingston from Hanover was far from being a deterrent to Nadienne Crossman, the principal of Mount Peto Primary School. “Some persons would say the drive is long, but it’s the least I could do,” she said as she prepared to exit the grounds of Kingston College on North Street last Wednesday, where the RuJohn Foundation had set up camp to distribute much-needed supplies to students across several primary-level institutions.

Mount Peto Primary School is one of eight schools sponsored by the foundation. The other institutions are: Unity Primary in Westmoreland, New Day Preparatory in St James, Copper Basic School in St Catherine and the Kingston-based Ananda Marga Kinder-Preparatory, Franklyn Town Primary, and Trench Town Primary and Operation Restoration Christian School. Kingston College is also a benefactor.

“We are very appreciative,” said Crossman, who along with Parent Teachers Association President Denise Graham-Gayle, and two students, collected the packages on behalf of their school.

Lead volunteer Joel Nomdarkham pointed out that during the summer holidays, the foundation – which is spearheaded by actor Andrew ‘King Bach’ Bachelor and his sister, Christina, who are of Jamaican parentage – normally hosts its annual Celebrity Sports Camp and acting and self-esteem workshops. However, in light of the pandemic, the non-profit organisation had to forego plans for 2020.

“When it got down to the latter part of the year, we felt slightly unfulfilled [because] the camp activities, had been cancelled,” he told The Gleaner.

THINKING AHEAD

He added, “It’s definitely going to be a different year for us. We are already thinking ahead, accepting that we may not be able to hold the camp next year either. It may have to be virtual.”

The summer camp, in the past, featured the likes of international actors such as Raven-Symone, Lance Gross from Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Jaleel White, known popularly as Steve Urkel, among others who contributed their time to play the role of coaches.

“Of course, given the nature of things, we were unable to pull off anything of that magnitude (so) the foundation returned to the drawing table and figured that having looked at the new educational landscape, most children were challenged with not having access to resources, specifically tablets.”

This birthed the initiative to distribute 300 care packages and 50 tablets to primary-level students in need of assistance.

He said the foundation carried out a virtual fundraiser on Giving Tuesday which, since 2012, is observed internationally on the Tuesday following the United States celebration of Thanksgiving, where an estimated US$5,000 was procured. They also received assistance from their main sponsor – Alfred Street Baptist Church in Florida. All was put towards making purchases for the care packages that included a variety of food items, masks, sanitisers and even thermometers.

“Aside from not being able to afford tablets, families are struggling to buy the little commodities for survival and the children in turn are stressed or become demotivated by all that’s happening around them. We really were hoping to acquire more tablets as the response has been tremendous, even with masks on you could see the smiles on the faces of those who came by,” Nomdarkham noted.

American actor and co-anchor of E! News from 2012 to 2015, Terrence J, also donated children’s books to give to the students.

“The whole point of the initiative, or message is, if you can look at yourself and you survived this pandemic, try to bless somebody the way you have been blessed,” he expressed.

To learn more about the RuJohn Foundation, email joel@rujohnfoundation.com or ingrid@rujohnfoundation.com or call (954) 752-2758. Have a good story you’d like to share? Email us at goodheart@gleanerjm.com.