By Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter 
Luciano, Boothe and Nooks
THAT IS A popular
footer on many entertainment bills. Sadly, many charities do not come close to smelling the fragrance of the 'green' made at these events.
However, there a few events that do contribute part of their proceeds to worthy charities. Then there is one show, aptly dubbed 'First Sunday Unchained' which does so much more all of the proceeds from this event go to an unlikely but very worthy cause.
The event is held every first Sunday of every month, the promoter Destiny Promotions, spearheaded by businessman Kevin Wallen and the cause is a prison-based project at the South Camp Rehabilitation Centre.
The four-year-old brainchild of Wallen, 'Project 180' is a scheme designed to aid the incarcerated in more ways than one. So far the module has provided several computers for the prisoners and has also been a source of motivational talks that seek to aid the inmate's transition to free life.
Currently, the money earned from the six shows that have been staged have aided Project 180 in donating six computers and a children's laptop to the South Camp Rehabilitation Centre. Additionally, material was also provided and the inmates put hands and heart together to build the desks and chairs which furnish the room the computers occupy.
To add a little chill to the mix, an air conditioning unit was also installed by the inmates as well. The software available to the inmates can take a computer novice from kindergarten to a much higher level. One of the standouts of the educational system set-up is that prisoners teach other inmates. Classes are held daily and every inmate that shows interest in the program will receive at least an hour of instruction a day. Right now, the inmates involved with Project 180 are gearing up for a third quiz competition that copies the format of the popular School's Challenge Quiz.
The mechanism set up by Wallen has aided many of the accused and convicted who still reside in the island's prisons, as well as those who have received their 'road scholarships'. One such 'scholar' is Richard Bucknor, who shares the same age as Wallen.
Bucknor was convicted and slapped with two seven-year
sentences for the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. He spent four years and eight months behind bars before coming out on parole.
He was imprisoned and hope seemed all but gone but instead he returned to the streets with some knowledge of information technology and the computer.
"I have benefited educationally and spiritually too, because we did a lot of spiritual work like meditation, read a lot of religious literature and so on."
Bucknor, who is now off parole, further stated, "Mi neva know nothing bout computer. I personally neva get to master the computer, but I did learn a couple things about it," he said. Like Bucknor, a senior officer at the South Camp Rehabilitation Centre, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Project 180, which has an arm at the prison known as Students Expressing Truth (S.E.T.) is being genuinely embraced by the inmates. He opined that the Wallen-run program is more 'swinging' than the resident Government-funded educational program, since the former has twice as much students than the latter on a consistent basis.
In no way is this a bad thing, explains the senior officer, as he pointed out that Project 180 can play the role of a stepping stone that will elevate the inmates to a level that can be advanced by the resident schooling system.
"When they teach them to read, we can then take them to the examination level through the organised classroom structure we have here," he said.
The senior officer said he took the time to attend one of the 'First Sunday Unchained, shows. "I have been to two shows. The quality of the performances were good but the attendance was not what we expected but this was because of rain the first time andhe other clashed with the free Independence Street Dance in New Kingston."
The shows usually last two hours. An established act is used as the headliner, supported by young talent. In addition to that Mr. Wallen normally uses one of the former inmates as speaker for the night. Since its inception, 'First Sunday Unchained' has featured established artistes such as Abijah, Warrior King, George Nooks, Luciano, Ken Boothe, Len Hammond and Yogie.
While the show has become the main method of getting funds for the Project 180, this has not always been the case. "For the past four years we have been doing it from out of our pockets, so we got to a point where we saw that we needed help," Wallen said.
It was then that that Wallen decided to launch Destiny Promotions and the series of shows. The less than a year old agency is far responsible for staging six shows, which were held at the LoJ auditorium in New Kingston. Wallen says that every dollar garnered at the shows held under the banner of 'First Sunday Unchained' has gone into Project 180.
CAMPAIGNERS
It is clear that all the major artistes chosen for the series of shows are 'clean campaigners'.
"The lyrical content of the show is very clean and uplifting," he said. "Not every artiste we will invite. When we approach an artiste, we give them the run down as to what the show is about... as for content it has to be clean, as the show is promoted as a family-oriented event," stated Wallen.
He added that artistes are selected for the show based on their ability to inspire, so that the audience will leave the venue 'pumped' and filled with positive vibrations.
There is a saying that nothing in life is free except salvation. Regardless of the worthy cause, Destiny Promotions has had to rent the venue and pay the artistes. Mr. Wallen says, however, that the entertainers do cut him some slack. "They charge, but they are usually pretty good about their fees... they always charge a little something like a charity fee," said Wallen.
Still, he wishes he did not have to pay. "If they would perform for free that could be a computer right there for the institution. Some of the software we want to get costs a chunk," he said. Mr. Wallen told The Sunday Gleaner that of all the artistes who have performed at 'First Sunday Unchained', the reaction of Ken Boothe to the programme stands heads and shoulders above all the others.
"He was probably the most touched," Mr. Wallen noted. So moved was the legendary crooner that he gave back a portion of his remuneration to Mr. Wallen.
When The Sunday Gleaner contacted Boothe he pointed out Wallen as a good man. "Ah one nice person that man," he said. "He cares for people, (especially) the needy and that is very important. The Government needs to know that people like this are around who are facilitating development," said Boothe.
So why is Mr. Wallen so soft-hearted to the incarcerated? The answer is simple. Experiencing a rough childhood made it evident to him that the shoes on the feet of the prisoners could have easily been on his.
MOTIVATION
"When I look at it, I could easily be one of these guys, so this is my main motivation for doing this program. I was spared for whatever reason so I feel as though I have to give back and that's my way of giving back," Wallen noted.
Wallen, 33, an entrepreneur who has business ties in the Icowal Texaco at the corner of Old Hope Road and Mountain View Avenue as well as One Stop Computers in the Island Life Mall, New Kingston says additional motivation to do Project 180 came from one of his friends.
A man that was placed in the 'bottomless pit' to do the time for a crime he did not commit. He is Carter, Ruben 'Hurricane' Carter to be exact an African American former boxer who was subsequently freed of murder charges for which he was doing time. Wallen said Carter, who he met while living in Canada, provided him with an insight to life behind bars.
Revealing how Project 180 got its name, Wallen said it was from an off-the-wall concept he strummed up in his head. "Some people say making a change is 360 (degree) turn, but that to me means turning back to the same thing. But a 180° turn is turning completely away from the thing and going into the opposite direction," he said.
"There are some seriously talented people in that place. I mean, if you see the grille work that was done it is amazing," exclaimed
Mr. Wallen, still seemingly in
awe of what he has seen inside
the institutions.
It is a cemented fact that Project 180 is speeding down the boulevard of empowerment for the incarcerated and there are no speed limits or stop signs. Presently, work is being conducted at the Fort Augustus Correctional Centre, the sole female penal institution in the island, to prepare them for adrenaline rush known as Project 180.
"Right now we are creating the lab over by Fort Augusta and within the next couple of weeks we should be ready to go. Once we are done with Fort Augusta we are looking forward to working with others (penal institutions), wherever they will accept us," Wallen stated.
