By DEVON EVANS
OCHO RIOS, St. Ann: THE APPROXIMATELY 100 residents of the St. Ann Infirmary are now able to rest more comfortably.
This has been made possible through the efforts of members of the Cicero Christian Church in Indiana, USA who gave the institution 70 hospital beds and a large quantity of mattresses, sheets, drapes and pillow cases last week Tuesday.
The gifts were handed over to Matron I.M. Vickers by Maxo De Janis, pastor of the Four Roads Christian Church in Mile End, St. Ann, at a ceremony which was held at the infirmary.
The Four Roads Christian Church is the local branch of the Cicero Christian Church.
According to Pastor De Janis, members of the Cicero Church have been visiting the St. Ann Infirmary since 1996 to undertake projects aimed at improving the conditions there.
The initiative was inspired by Ruth van Horn.
He said that one year, while trying to paint the beds, the church members became horrified at the poor conditions they were in and decided to help the inmates with some beds.
Pastor De Janis said the members of Cicero Christian Church were extremely pleased to have been able to assist the inmates with beds and that the church will continue to assist the institution in an effort to make life more comfortable for the residents, some of whom have either mental and physical disabilities.
In accepting the gifts Matron Vickers said the entire staff was pleased. She said the new beds and linens will help to alleviate the stress they have been enduring over the poor state of the beds that the inmates had.
